Da Urban Conservative Rochester's Tax Hike and Gunfire: Who's Really Paying the Price?

Let's talk about Rochester, Minnesota—a city where the powers that be want to reach into your pockets while bullets fly through our neighborhoods. As Rochester officials plan to increase the city budget by $120 million next year, they want to hit you with the largest tax hike in over a decade. And while they're busy taxing you to the bone, your safety is still under threat, with gunfire ringing out in the streets.
City’s Budget Increase:
Rochester officials are proposing a nearly $690 million budget for 2025, up from this year’s $570 million. They say it's because of rising costs and new capital projects. But let me ask you—whose pockets are these costs coming out of? It's you, the hardworking property owners, who are shouldering this burden. A 10.4% tax levy increase? That’s about $10.5 million more out of your wallet.
City Administrator Alison Zelms says they're "trying" to control property taxes. But when you look at the facts, it seems they’re more interested in filling the city's coffers than protecting the very people who fill them. Sure, some of this levy will be offset by new properties, but the majority of us—especially those whose property values are climbing—are going to feel this increase the hardest.
Public Safety and Workforce Struggles:
They tell us the increase is partly to cover pay hikes in public safety contracts. Police pay has been stagnant since COVID, and now, they say they need to pay more to attract officers. But while they're busy balancing the budget on your backs, where's the real focus on safety?
In a city where shootings are becoming all too common, you have to wonder—how is all this extra money actually protecting us? Just this week, bullets flew at the Villages of Essex Park apartment complex, hitting vehicles and apartment buildings. This is less than a week after another shooting where bullets entered homes in southeast Rochester. And what’s the city’s response? Silence. No arrests, no solutions—just more taxes.
Council’s Response and Concerns:
Some council members, like Shaun Palmer, support the tax hike but question why certain spending—like library security—is necessary. Now, I’m not saying we don’t need security, but Palmer’s got a point. Why are we being forced to pay for things that, in a just society, shouldn’t even be issues?
Others on the council, like Molly Dennis and Norman Wahl, are calling for more auditing and caution with filling vacant positions. But let me tell you something—caution isn’t enough. When people are forced to choose between paying higher taxes and their safety, the system is broken.
Conclusion:
So what do we do, Rochester? Are we going to let them keep milking us dry while the streets run with violence? Are we going to stand by while they tell us it’s for our own good, yet we still can’t feel safe in our own homes? The time for talking is over. It's time to demand real accountability, real solutions, and real safety for our community.
Remember, power concedes nothing without a demand. It’s time to stand up and make our demands clear: Protect us, don’t rob us. Safe streets, not empty promises. This is our city, and we won’t be silent anymore.