St. PAUL, Minn. – Senator Aric Putnam (DFL – St. Cloud) passed his bill seeking long-term solutions to lower property taxes in Minnesota. The bill (SF 4262) was recommended to pass the Senate Tax Committee after passing the State and Local Government Committee last week.
The bill establishes a Property Tax Task Force with a focused mission: examine the current system, identify what’s working and what isn’t, and deliver concrete recommendations for reducing the tax burden on Minnesota property taxpayers that can be implemented by the next legislature.
“Minnesota’s property tax structure hasn’t seen any systemic review in over 25 years, and the landscape has changed considerably since then,” Senator Putnam said. “Everyone knows that property taxes are increasing, and we can feel the burden this places on our neighbors, especially seniors and folks on a fixed income. Over the past few years, the Minnesota legislature has made real investments in property tax relief, but we are still paying more. With this bill we will take a hard look at the problem, examine how we do property taxes, and develop real solutions to make them more affordable.”
Since 2023, the state has invested more than $500 million in relief measures for homeowners and renters, including expanded refund programs, an increased homestead market value exclusion, and more aid directed to cities and counties to help cover local costs. That investment has helped, but it is little match for the billions of dollars in federal cost shifts and budget cuts to cities, counties, school districts, and other municipalities over the next 10 years. These local governments are already budgeting for this massive cut by reducing services, shrinking budgets, and relying on property taxes when needed to maintain basic functions.
“The task force proposed in my bill will take a comprehensive look at how the property tax burden is distributed across homeowners, businesses, and other property types, and ask honestly whether that distribution still makes sense,” Senator Putnam said. “This will be real work. The task force must do more than study these interactions and challenges. They will be required to draft legislation that would create meaningful property tax relief without merely moving costs around or decreasing our ability to provide services and pay our bills.”
The group is bipartisan by design, bringing together legislators from both parties alongside the state revenue commissioner and representatives from counties, cities, townships, and local assessing offices. A report with recommendations is due to the legislature by February 1, 2027, at which point the task force dissolves. No ongoing commission; just a defined task with a deadline.
For Minnesota homeowners who have seen some relief but are still watching their bills climb, this legislation represents a commitment to keep working the problem in a way that’s rigorous, transparent, and built to last.
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Vice Chair of the Higher Education Committee. He serves on the Jobs and Economic Development Committee and Taxes Committee.
Learn more about Sen. Putnam.
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