Subd. 1. Proposed levy.

1. (a) Notwithstanding any law or charter to the contrary, on or before September 15, each taxing authority, other than a school district, shall adopt a proposed budget and shall certify to the county auditor the proposed or, in the case of a town, the final property tax levy for taxes payable in the following year.

2. (b) On or before September 30, each school district that has not mutually agreed with its home county to extend this date shall certify to the county auditor the proposed property tax levy for taxes payable in the following year. Each school district that has agreed with its home county to delay the certification of its proposed property tax levy must certify its proposed property tax levy for the following year no later than October 7. The school district shall certify the proposed levy as:

   1. (1) a specific dollar amount by school district fund, broken down between voter-approved and non-voter-approved levies and between referendum market value and tax capacity levies; or
   2. (2) the maximum levy limitation certified by the commissioner of education according to section 126C.48, subdivision 1.
3. (c) If the board of estimate and taxation or any similar board that establishes maximum tax levies for taxing jurisdictions within a first class city certifies the maximum property tax levies for funds under its jurisdiction by charter to the county auditor by September 15, the city shall be deemed to have certified its levies for those taxing jurisdictions.
4. (d) For purposes of this section, "taxing authority" includes all home rule and statutory cities, towns, counties, school districts, and special taxing districts as defined in section 275.066. Intermediate school districts that levy a tax under chapter 124 or 136D, joint powers boards established under sections 123A.44 to 123A.446, and Common School Districts No. 323, Franconia, and No. 815, Prinsburg, are also special taxing districts for purposes of this section.

Subd. 1a. Overlapping jurisdictions.

In the case of a taxing authority lying in two or more counties, the home county auditor shall certify the proposed levy and the proposed local tax rate to the other county auditor by October 5, unless the home county has agreed to delay the certification of its proposed property tax levy, in which case the home county auditor shall certify the proposed levy and the proposed local tax rate to the other county auditor by October 10. The home county auditor must estimate the levy or rate in preparing the notices required in subdivision 3, if the other county has not certified the appropriate information. If requested by the home county auditor, the other county auditor must furnish an estimate to the home county auditor.

Subd. 1b.

[Repealed, 1992 c 511 art 3 s 9]

Subd. 1c. Levy; shared, merged, consolidated services.

If two or more taxing authorities are in the process of negotiating an agreement for sharing, merging, or consolidating services between those taxing authorities at the time the proposed levy is to be certified under subdivision 1, each taxing authority involved in the negotiation shall certify its total proposed levy as provided in that subdivision, including a notification to the county auditor of the specific service involved in the agreement which is not yet finalized. The affected taxing authorities may amend their proposed levies under subdivision 1 until October 10 for levy amounts relating only to the specific service involved.

Subd. 1d. Failure to certify proposed levy.

If a taxing authority fails to certify its proposed levy by the due dates specified under subdivisions 1, 1a, and 1c, the county auditor shall use the authority's previous year's final levy under section 275.07, subdivision 1, for purposes of determining its proposed property tax notices and public advertisements under this section.

Subd. 2.

[Repealed, 1Sp1989 c 1 art 9 s 85]

Subd. 3. Notice of proposed property taxes.

1. (a) The county auditor shall prepare and the county treasurer shall deliver after November 10 and on or before November 24 each year, by first class mail to each taxpayer at the address listed on the county's current year's assessment roll, a notice of proposed property taxes. Upon written request by the taxpayer, the treasurer may send the notice in electronic form or by electronic mail instead of on paper or by ordinary mail.
2. (b) The commissioner of revenue shall prescribe the form of the notice.
3. (c) The notice must inform taxpayers that it contains the amount of property taxes each taxing authority proposes to collect for taxes payable the following year. In the case of a town, or in the case of the state general tax, the final tax amount will be its proposed tax. In the case of taxing authorities required to hold a public meeting under subdivision 6, the notice must clearly state that each taxing authority, including regional library districts established under section 134.201, and including the metropolitan taxing districts as defined in paragraph (i), but excluding all other special taxing districts and towns, will hold a public meeting to receive public testimony on the proposed budget and proposed or final property tax levy, or, in case of a school district, on the current budget and proposed property tax levy. It must clearly state the time and place of each taxing authority's meeting, a telephone number for the taxing authority that taxpayers may call if they have questions related to the notice, and an address where comments will be received by mail.

4. (d) The notice must state for each parcel:

   1. (1) the market value of the property as determined under section 273.11, and used for computing property taxes payable in the following year and for taxes payable in the current year as each appears in the records of the county assessor on November 1 of the current year; and, in the case of residential property, whether the property is classified as homestead or nonhomestead. The notice must clearly inform taxpayers of the years to which the market values apply and that the values are final values;

   2. (2) the items listed below, shown separately by county, city or town, and state general tax, net of the residential and agricultural homestead credit under section 273.1384, voter approved school levy, other local school levy, and the sum of the special taxing districts, and as a total of all taxing authorities:

      1. (i) the actual tax for taxes payable in the current year; and

      2. (ii) the proposed tax amount.

         If the county levy under clause (2) includes an amount for a lake improvement district as defined under sections 103B.501 to 103B.581, the amount attributable for that purpose must be separately stated from the remaining county levy amount.

         In the case of a town or the state general tax, the final tax shall also be its proposed tax unless the town changes its levy at a special town meeting under section 365.52. If a school district has certified under section 126C.17, subdivision 9, that a referendum will be held in the school district at the November general election, the county auditor must note next to the school district's proposed amount that a referendum is pending and that, if approved by the voters, the tax amount may be higher than shown on the notice. In the case of the city of Minneapolis, the levy for Minneapolis Park and Recreation shall be listed separately from the remaining amount of the city's levy. In the case of the city of St. Paul, the levy for the St. Paul Library Agency must be listed separately from the remaining amount of the city's levy. In the case of Ramsey County, any amount levied under section 134.07 may be listed separately from the remaining amount of the county's levy. In the case of a parcel where tax increment or the fiscal disparities areawide tax under chapter 276A or 473F applies, the proposed tax levy on the captured value or the proposed tax levy on the tax capacity subject to the areawide tax must each be stated separately and not included in the sum of the special taxing districts; and

   3. (3) the increase or decrease between the total taxes payable in the current year and the total proposed taxes, expressed as a percentage.

      For purposes of this section, the amount of the tax on homesteads qualifying under the senior citizens' property tax deferral program under chapter 290B is the total amount of property tax before subtraction of the deferred property tax amount.

5. (e) The notice must clearly state that the proposed or final taxes do not include the following:

   1. (1) special assessments;
   2. (2) levies approved by the voters after the date the proposed taxes are certified, including bond referenda and school district levy referenda;
   3. (3) a levy limit increase approved by the voters by the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of the levy year as provided under section 275.73;
   4. (4) amounts necessary to pay cleanup or other costs due to a natural disaster occurring after the date the proposed taxes are certified;
   5. (5) amounts necessary to pay tort judgments against the taxing authority that become final after the date the proposed taxes are certified; and
   6. (6) the contamination tax imposed on properties which received market value reductions for contamination.
6. (f) Except as provided in subdivision 7, failure of the county auditor to prepare or the county treasurer to deliver the notice as required in this section does not invalidate the proposed or final tax levy or the taxes payable pursuant to the tax levy.
7. (g) If the notice the taxpayer receives under this section lists the property as nonhomestead, and satisfactory documentation is provided to the county assessor by the applicable deadline, and the property qualifies for the homestead classification in that assessment year, the assessor shall reclassify the property to homestead for taxes payable in the following year.

8. (h) In the case of class 4 residential property used as a residence for lease or rental periods of 30 days or more, the taxpayer must either:

   1. (1) mail or deliver a copy of the notice of proposed property taxes to each tenant, renter, or lessee; or

   2. (2) post a copy of the notice in a conspicuous place on the premises of the property.

      The notice must be mailed or posted by the taxpayer by November 27 or within three days of receipt of the notice, whichever is later. A taxpayer may notify the county treasurer of the address of the taxpayer, agent, caretaker, or manager of the premises to which the notice must be mailed in order to fulfill the requirements of this paragraph.

9. (i) For purposes of this subdivision, subdivisions 5a and 6, "metropolitan special taxing districts" means the following taxing districts in the seven-county metropolitan area that levy a property tax for any of the specified purposes listed below:

   1. (1) Metropolitan Council under section 473.132, 473.167, 473.249, 473.325, 473.446, 473.521, 473.547, or 473.834;
   2. (2) Metropolitan Airports Commission under section 473.667, 473.671, or 473.672; and

   3. (3) Metropolitan Mosquito Control Commission under section 473.711.

      For purposes of this section, any levies made by the regional rail authorities in the county of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, or Washington under chapter 398A shall be included with the appropriate county's levy and shall be discussed at that county's public hearing.

10. (j) The governing body of a county, city, or school district may, with the consent of the county board, include supplemental information with the statement of proposed property taxes about the impact of state aid increases or decreases on property tax increases or decreases and on the level of services provided in the affected jurisdiction. This supplemental information may include information for the following year, the current year, and for as many consecutive preceding years as deemed appropriate by the governing body of the county, city, or school district. It may include only information regarding:

    1. (1) the impact of inflation as measured by the implicit price deflator for state and local government purchases;
    2. (2) population growth and decline;
    3. (3) state or federal government action; and

    4. (4) other financial factors that affect the level of property taxation and local services that the governing body of the county, city, or school district may deem appropriate to include.

       The information may be presented using tables, written narrative, and graphic representations and may contain instruction toward further sources of information or opportunity for comment.

Subd. 3a.

[Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 21 art 4 s 13]

Subd. 4. Costs.

If the reasonable cost of the county auditor's services and the cost of preparing and mailing the notice required in this section exceed the amount distributed to the county by the commissioner of revenue to administer this section, the taxing authority must reimburse the county for the excess cost. The excess cost must be apportioned between taxing jurisdictions as follows:

1. (1) one-third is allocated to the county;
2. (2) one-third is allocated to cities and towns within the county; and

3. (3) one-third is allocated to school districts within the county.

   The amounts in clause (2) must be further apportioned among the cities and towns in the proportion that the number of parcels in the city and town bears to the number of parcels in all the cities and towns within the county. The amount in clause (3) must be further apportioned among the school districts in the proportion that the number of parcels in the school district bears to the number of parcels in all school districts within the county.

Subd. 5.

[Repealed, 1Sp1989 c 1 art 9 s 85]

Subd. 5a. Public advertisement.

1. (a) A city that has a population of more than 2,500, county, a metropolitan special taxing district as defined in subdivision 3, paragraph (i), a regional library district established under section 134.201, or school district shall advertise in a newspaper a notice of its intent to adopt a budget and property tax levy or, in the case of a school district, to review its current budget and proposed property taxes payable in the following year, at a public hearing, if a public hearing is required under subdivision 6. The notice must be published not less than two business days nor more than six business days before the hearing.

   The advertisement must be at least one-eighth page in size of a standard-size or a tabloid-size newspaper. The advertisement must not be placed in the part of the newspaper where legal notices and classified advertisements appear. The advertisement must be published in an official newspaper of general circulation in the taxing authority. The newspaper selected must be one of general interest and readership in the community, and not one of limited subject matter. The advertisement must appear in a newspaper that is published at least once per week.

   For purposes of this section, the metropolitan special taxing district's advertisement must only be published in the Minneapolis Star and Tribune and the Saint Paul Pioneer Press.

   In addition to other requirements, a county and a city having a population of more than 2,500 must show in the public advertisement required under this subdivision the current local tax rate, the proposed local tax rate if no property tax levy increase is adopted, and the proposed rate if the proposed levy is adopted. For purposes of this subdivision, "local tax rate" means the city's or county's net tax capacity levy divided by the city's or county's taxable net tax capacity.

2. (b) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (g), the advertisement for school districts, metropolitan special taxing districts, and regional library districts must be in the following form, except that the notice for a school district may include references to the current budget in regard to proposed property taxes.

   "NOTICE OF

   PROPOSED PROPERTY TAXES

   (School District/Metropolitan

   Special Taxing District/Regional

   Library District) of .........

   The governing body of ........ will soon hold budget hearings and vote on the property taxes for (metropolitan special taxing district/regional library district services that will be provided in (year)/school district services that will be provided in (year) and (year)).

   NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING:

   All concerned citizens are invited to attend a public hearing and express their opinions on the proposed (school district/metropolitan special taxing district/regional library district) budget and property taxes, or in the case of a school district, its current budget and proposed property taxes, payable in the following year. The hearing will be held on (Month/Day/Year) at (Time) at (Location, Address)."

3. (c) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (g), the advertisement for cities and counties must be in the following form.

   "NOTICE OF PROPOSED

   TOTAL BUDGET AND PROPERTY TAXES

   The (city/county) governing body or board of commissioners will hold a public hearing to discuss the budget and to vote on the amount of property taxes to collect for services the (city/county) will provide in (year).

   SPENDING: The total budget amounts below compare (city's/county's) (year) total actual budget with the amount the (city/county) proposes to spend in (year).

   (Year) Total Actual Budget	Proposed (Year) Budget	Change from (Year)-(Year)
   	$ .			$ .			.....%

   TAXES: The property tax amounts below compare that portion of the current budget levied in property taxes in (city/county) for (year) with the property taxes the (city/county) proposes to collect in (year).

   (Year) Property Taxes	Proposed (Year) Property Taxes	Change from (Year)-(Year)
   	$ .			$ .			.....%

   LOCAL TAX RATE COMPARISON: The current local tax rate, the local tax rate if no tax levy increase is adopted, and the proposed local tax rate if the proposed levy is adopted.

   (Year) Tax Rate	(Year) Tax Rate if NO Levy Increase	(Year) Proposed Tax Rate
   	.			.			.

   ATTEND THE PUBLIC HEARING

   All (city/county) residents are invited to attend the public hearing of the (city/county) to express your opinions on the budget and the proposed amount of (year) property taxes. The hearing will be held on:

   (Month/Day/Year/Time)

   (Location/Address)

   If the discussion of the budget cannot be completed, a time and place for continuing the discussion will be announced at the hearing. You are also invited to send your written comments to:

   (City/County)

   (Location/Address)"

4. (d) For purposes of this subdivision, the budget amounts listed on the advertisement mean:

   1. (1) for cities, the total government fund expenditures, as defined by the state auditor under section 471.6965, less any expenditures for improvements or services that are specially assessed or charged under chapter 429, 430, 435, or the provisions of any other law or charter; and

   2. (2) for counties, the total government fund expenditures, as defined by the state auditor under section 375.169, less any expenditures for direct payments to recipients or providers for the human service aids listed below:

      1. (i) Minnesota family investment program under chapters 256J and 256K;
      2. (ii) medical assistance under sections 256B.041, subdivision 5, and 256B.19, subdivision 1;
      3. (iii) general assistance medical care under section 256D.03, subdivision 6;
      4. (iv) general assistance under section 256D.03, subdivision 2;
      5. (v) Minnesota supplemental aid under section 256D.36, subdivision 1;
      6. (vi) preadmission screening under section 256B.0911, and alternative care grants under section 256B.0913;
      7. (vii) general assistance medical care claims processing, medical transportation and related costs under section 256D.03, subdivision 4;
      8. (viii) medical transportation and related costs under section 256B.0625, subdivisions 17 to 18a;
      9. (ix) group residential housing under section 256I.05, subdivision 8, transferred from programs in clauses (iv) and (v); or
      10. (x) any successor programs to those listed in clauses (i) to (ix).
5. (e) A city with a population of over 500 but not more than 2,500 that is required to hold a public hearing under subdivision 6 must advertise by posted notice as defined in section 645.12, subdivision 1. The advertisement must be posted at the time provided in paragraph (a). It must be in the form required in paragraph (b).
6. (f) For purposes of this subdivision, the population of a city is the most recent population as determined by the state demographer under section 4A.02.
7. (g) The commissioner of revenue shall annually prescribe the specific form and format of the advertisements required under this subdivision, including such details as font size and style, and spacing for the required items. The commissioner may prescribe alternate and additional language for the advertisement for a taxing authority or for groups of taxing authorities. At least two weeks before November 29 each year, the commissioner shall provide a copy of the prescribed advertisements to the chairs of the committees of the house of representatives and the senate with jurisdiction over taxes.

Subd. 6. Public hearing; adoption of budget and levy.

1. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the meanings given:

   1. (1) "Initial hearing" means the first and primary hearing held to discuss the taxing authority's proposed budget and proposed property tax levy for taxes payable in the following year, or, for school districts, the current budget and the proposed property tax levy for taxes payable in the following year.
   2. (2) "Continuation hearing" means a hearing held to complete the initial hearing, if the initial hearing is not completed on its scheduled date.
   3. (3) "Subsequent hearing" means the hearing held to adopt the taxing authority's final property tax levy, and, in the case of taxing authorities other than school districts, the final budget, for taxes payable in the following year.
2. (b) Between November 29 and December 20, the governing bodies of a city that has a population over 500, county, metropolitan special taxing districts as defined in subdivision 3, paragraph (i), and regional library districts shall each hold an initial public hearing to discuss and seek public comment on its final budget and property tax levy for taxes payable in the following year, and the governing body of the school district shall hold an initial public hearing to review its current budget and proposed property tax levy for taxes payable in the following year. The metropolitan special taxing districts shall be required to hold only a single joint initial public hearing, the location of which will be determined by the affected metropolitan agencies. A city, county, metropolitan special taxing district as defined in subdivision 3, paragraph (i), regional library district established under section 134.201, or school district is not required to hold a public hearing under this subdivision unless its proposed property tax levy for taxes payable in the following year, as certified under subdivision 1, has increased over its final property tax levy for taxes payable in the current year by a percentage that is greater than the percentage increase in the implicit price deflator for government consumption expenditures and gross investment for state and local governments prepared by the Bureau of Economic Analysts of the United States Department of Commerce for the 12-month period ending March 31 of the current year.
3. (c) The initial hearing must be held after 5:00 p.m. if scheduled on a day other than Saturday. No initial hearing may be held on a Sunday.
4. (d) At the initial hearing under this subdivision, the percentage increase in property taxes proposed by the taxing authority, if any, and the specific purposes for which property tax revenues are being increased must be discussed. During the discussion, the governing body shall hear comments regarding a proposed increase and explain the reasons for the proposed increase. The public shall be allowed to speak and to ask questions. At the public hearing, the school district must also provide and discuss information on the distribution of its revenues by revenue source, and the distribution of its spending by program area.
5. (e) If the initial hearing is not completed on its scheduled date, the taxing authority must announce, prior to adjournment of the hearing, the date, time, and place for the continuation of the hearing. The continuation hearing must be held at least five business days but no more than 14 business days after the initial hearing. A continuation hearing may not be held later than December 20 except as provided in paragraphs (f) and (g). A continuation hearing must be held after 5:00 p.m. if scheduled on a day other than Saturday. No continuation hearing may be held on a Sunday.
6. (f) The governing body of a county shall hold its initial hearing on the first Thursday in December each year, and may hold additional initial hearings on other dates before December 20 if necessary for the convenience of county residents. If the county needs a continuation of its hearing, the continuation hearing shall be held on the third Tuesday in December. If the third Tuesday in December falls on December 21, the county's continuation hearing shall be held on Monday, December 20.
7. (g) The metropolitan special taxing districts shall hold a joint initial public hearing on the first Wednesday of December. A continuation hearing, if necessary, shall be held on the second Wednesday of December even if that second Wednesday is after December 10.
8. (h) The county auditor shall provide for the coordination of initial and continuation hearing dates for all school districts and cities within the county to prevent conflicts under clauses (i) and (j).
9. (i) By August 10, each school board and the board of the regional library district shall certify to the county auditors of the counties in which the school district or regional library district is located the dates on which it elects to hold its initial hearing and any continuation hearing. If a school board or regional library district does not certify these dates by August 10, the auditor will assign the initial and continuation hearing dates. The dates elected or assigned must not conflict with the initial and continuation hearing dates of the county or the metropolitan special taxing districts.
10. (j) By August 20, the county auditor shall notify the clerks of the cities within the county of the dates on which school districts and regional library districts have elected to hold their initial and continuation hearings. At the time a city certifies its proposed levy under subdivision 1 it shall certify the dates on which it elects to hold its initial hearing and any continuation hearing. Until September 15, the first and second Mondays of December are reserved for the use of the cities. If a city does not certify its hearing dates by September 15, the auditor shall assign the initial and continuation hearing dates. The dates elected or assigned for the initial hearing must not conflict with the initial hearing dates of the county, metropolitan special taxing districts, regional library districts, or school districts within which the city is located. To the extent possible, the dates of the city's continuation hearing should not conflict with the continuation hearing dates of the county, metropolitan special taxing districts, regional library districts, or school districts within which the city is located. This paragraph does not apply to cities of 500 population or less.
11. (k) The county initial hearing date and the city, metropolitan special taxing district, regional library district, and school district initial hearing dates must be designated on the notices required under subdivision 3. The continuation hearing dates need not be stated on the notices.
12. (l) At a subsequent hearing, each county, school district, city over 500 population, and metropolitan special taxing district may amend its proposed property tax levy and must adopt a final property tax levy. Each county, city over 500 population, and metropolitan special taxing district may also amend its proposed budget and must adopt a final budget at the subsequent hearing. The final property tax levy must be adopted prior to adopting the final budget. A school district is not required to adopt its final budget at the subsequent hearing. The subsequent hearing of a taxing authority must be held on a date subsequent to the date of the taxing authority's initial public hearing. If a continuation hearing is held, the subsequent hearing must be held either immediately following the continuation hearing or on a date subsequent to the continuation hearing. The subsequent hearing may be held at a regularly scheduled board or council meeting or at a special meeting scheduled for the purposes of the subsequent hearing. The subsequent hearing of a taxing authority does not have to be coordinated by the county auditor to prevent a conflict with an initial hearing, a continuation hearing, or a subsequent hearing of any other taxing authority. All subsequent hearings must be held prior to five working days after December 20 of the levy year. The date, time, and place of the subsequent hearing must be announced at the initial public hearing or at the continuation hearing.

13. (m) The property tax levy certified under section 275.07 by a city of any population, county, metropolitan special taxing district, regional library district, or school district must not exceed the proposed levy determined under subdivision 1, except by an amount up to the sum of the following amounts:

    1. (1) the amount of a school district levy whose voters approved a referendum to increase taxes under section 123B.63, subdivision 3, or 126C.17, subdivision 9, after the proposed levy was certified;
    2. (2) the amount of a city or county levy approved by the voters after the proposed levy was certified;
    3. (3) the amount of a levy to pay principal and interest on bonds approved by the voters under section 475.58 after the proposed levy was certified;
    4. (4) the amount of a levy to pay costs due to a natural disaster occurring after the proposed levy was certified, if that amount is approved by the commissioner of revenue under subdivision 6a;
    5. (5) the amount of a levy to pay tort judgments against a taxing authority that become final after the proposed levy was certified, if the amount is approved by the commissioner of revenue under subdivision 6a;
    6. (6) the amount of an increase in levy limits certified to the taxing authority by the commissioner of education or the commissioner of revenue after the proposed levy was certified; and
    7. (7) the amount required under section 126C.55.
14. (n) This subdivision does not apply to towns and special taxing districts other than regional library districts and metropolitan special taxing districts.
15. (o) Notwithstanding the requirements of this section, the employer is required to meet and negotiate over employee compensation as provided for in chapter 179A.

Subd. 6a. Approval of commissioner.

1. (a) A taxing authority may appeal to the commissioner of revenue for authorization to levy an amount over the amount of the proposed levy. The taxing authority must provide evidence satisfactory to the commissioner that it has incurred costs for the purposes specified in paragraph (b). The commissioner may approve an increase in the taxing authority's levy of up to the amount of costs incurred or a lesser amount determined by the commissioner. The commissioner's decision is final.
2. (b) A levy addition may be made under paragraph (a) for the following costs incurred after the proposed levy is certified: (1) the unreimbursed costs to satisfy judgments rendered against the taxing authority by a court of competent jurisdiction in a tort action in excess of $50,000 or ten percent of the current year's proposed certified levy whichever is less; and (2) the costs incurred in clean up of a natural disaster. For purposes of this subdivision, "natural disaster" includes the occurrence or threat of widespread or severe damage, injury, or loss of life or property resulting from causes such as earthquake, fire, flood, windstorm, wave action, oil spill, water contamination, air contamination, or drought.

Subd. 6b. Joint public hearings.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any city with a population of 10,000 and over, may conduct a more comprehensive public hearing than is contained in subdivision 6 by including a board member from the county, a board member from the school district located within the city's boundary, and a representative of the metropolitan council, if the city is in the metropolitan area, as defined in section 473.121, subdivision 2, at the city's public hearing. All provisions regarding the public hearings under subdivision 6 are applicable to the joint public hearings under this subdivision.

Upon the adoption of a resolution by the governing body of the city to hold a joint hearing, the city shall notify the county, the school district, and the Metropolitan Council if the city is in the metropolitan area, of the decision to hold a joint public hearing and request a board member from each of those taxing authorities, and the member or the designee of the Metropolitan Council if applicable, to be at the joint hearing. If the city is located in more than one county, the city may choose to request a county board member from each county or only from the county containing the majority of the city's market value. If more than one school district is partially or totally located within the city, the city may choose to request a school district board member from each school district, or a board member only from the school district containing the majority of the city's market value. If, as a result of requests under this subdivision, there are not sufficient board members in the county or the school district to attend the joint hearing, the county or school district may send a nonelected person working for its taxing authority to speak on the authority's behalf. The city may also invite each state senator and representative who represents the city, or a portion of the city, to come to the joint hearing.

The primary purpose of the joint hearing is to discuss the city's budget and property tax levy. The county and school district officials, and Metropolitan Council representative, if the city is in the metropolitan area, should be prepared to answer questions relevant to its budget and levy and the effect that its levy has on the property owners in the city.

If a city conducts a hearing under this subdivision, this hearing is in lieu of the initial hearing required under subdivision 6. However, the city is still required to adopt its proposed property tax levy at a subsequent hearing as provided under subdivision 6. The hearings under this subdivision do not relieve a county, school district, or the Metropolitan Council of the requirement to hold its individual hearing under subdivision 6.

Subd. 6c. Joint public hearing; nonmetropolitan county, cities, and school districts.

1. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the county board may hold a joint hearing with the governing bodies of all taxing authorities located wholly or partially within the county that are required to hold a public hearing under this section, excluding special taxing districts. The primary purpose of the joint hearing is for taxpayer efficiency by allowing taxpayers to come to a single public hearing to discuss the budgets and proposed property tax levies of most taxing authorities that impact the taxes on their property.
2. (b) This subdivision applies only to counties located outside the metropolitan area as defined under section 473.121, subdivision 2. If a city or school district is located partially within the metropolitan area, that taxing jurisdiction may participate in its nonmetropolitan county's joint hearing, if it so chooses.
3. (c) Upon the adoption of a resolution by the county board to hold a joint public hearing, the county shall notify each city with a population over 500 and each school district located wholly or partially within the county of its intention to hold the joint hearing and ask each of the taxing authorities if it would like to participate. Participation is voluntary, and participation in the joint hearing is in lieu of the requirement for the governing body to hold a separate public hearing under subdivision 6. If a participating city or school district is located in more than one county, the hearing under this subdivision is in lieu of the requirement to hold a separate public hearing if 75 percent or more of that city or school district's previous year's net tax capacity is in the county where the hearing is held.

4. (d) The initial joint hearing must be held on the first Thursday in December. The county may hold an additional joint hearing on another date before December 20 if the majority of the participating taxing authorities want an additional hearing.

   1. (1) 30 to 60 minutes must be devoted to discussion of the county's budget and levy;
   2. (2) 30 to 60 minutes must be devoted to discussion of the city's budget and levy, with each city's discussion held in a separate room, preferably in the same building;
   3. (3) 30 to 60 minutes must be devoted to discussion of the school district's levy, with each school district's discussion held in a separate room, preferably in the same building; and

   4. (4) during the last 30 minutes the governing bodies must reassemble in a joint meeting to entertain any follow-up questions that have arisen from the separate discussions.

      The county shall attempt to keep the total public hearing to within three hours.

   The county board shall obtain a meeting space to hold the joint hearing, preferably at a public building such as the courthouse, school, or community center. The location shall be as centrally located within the county as possible. The meeting shall generally be structured in the following general manner:

5. (e) In lieu of the public advertisement requirement in subdivision 5a, the county shall have a single advertisement listing the county, each city with a population of over 500, and each school district participating in the joint public hearing listing. Any taxing authority participating under this subdivision is exempt from the separate public advertisement requirement under subdivision 5a. The cost of the joint hearing advertisement shall be apportioned in the same manner provided in subdivision 4. The notice must be published not less than two business days nor more than six business days before the hearing. The newspaper selected must be one of general interest and readership in the county, and not one of limited subject matter. The advertisement must appear in a newspaper that is published at least once per week. The advertisement must be in the following form:

   "NOTICE OF JOINT PUBLIC HEARING

   PROPOSED TOTAL PROPERTY TAXES

   FOR PARTICIPATING TAXING AUTHORITIES

   The property tax amounts below compare that portion of the current budget levied in property taxes in the county, cities, and school districts for (year) with the property taxes the county, cities, and school districts propose to collect in (year) for those taxing authorities participating in the joint public hearing.

   Taxing Authority	(Year) Property Taxes	Proposed (Year) Property Taxes	Change (Year) - (Year)
   	$ .			$ .			$ .		.....%
   	$ .			$ .			$ .		.....%
   	$ .			$ .			$ .		.....%

   ATTEND THE JOINT PUBLIC HEARING

   All residents are invited to attend the joint public hearing of the county/cities/school districts to express your opinions on the proposed amount of (year) property taxes. The hearing will be held on:

   (Month/Day/Year/Time)

   (Location/Address)

   If the discussion cannot be completed, and another hearing is scheduled, a time and place for that hearing will be announced at this hearing. You are also invited to send your written comments to the county auditor. If the comments relate to the city or school district's levy, please identify that on the envelope so the county auditor can direct the correspondence to the right jurisdiction."

   The formal adoption of the taxing authority's levy must not be made at the joint public hearing held under this subdivision. The formal adoption must be made at one of the regularly scheduled meetings of the taxing authority's governing body. However, the property tax levy amount that is subsequently adopted cannot exceed the amount shown to taxpayers at the joint public hearing.

Subd. 7. Certification of compliance.

At the time the taxing authority certifies its tax levy under section 275.07, it shall certify to the commissioner of revenue its compliance with this section. The certification must contain the information required by the commissioner of revenue to determine compliance with this section. If the commissioner determines that the taxing authority has failed to substantially comply with the requirements of this section, the commissioner of revenue shall notify the county auditor. The decision of the commissioner is final. When fixing rates under section 275.08 for a taxing authority that has not complied with this section, the county auditor must use the taxing authority's previous year's levy, plus any additional amounts necessary to pay principal and interest on general obligation bonds of the taxing authority for which its taxing powers have been pledged if the bonds were issued before 1989.

Subd. 8. Hearing.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, Ramsey County, the city of St. Paul, and Independent School District No. 625 are authorized to and shall hold their initial public hearing jointly. The hearing must be held during the week of the second Tuesday of December each year. The advertisement required in subdivision 5a may be a joint advertisement. The hearing is otherwise subject to the requirements of this section.

Ramsey County is authorized to hold an additional initial hearing or hearings as provided under this section, provided that any additional hearings must not conflict with the initial or continuation hearing dates of the other taxing districts. However, if Ramsey County elects not to hold such additional initial hearing or hearings, the joint initial hearing required by this subdivision must be held in a St. Paul location convenient to residents of Ramsey County.

Subd. 9. Aitkin County and school district hearing.

Notwithstanding any other law, Aitkin County and Independent School District No. 1, and the city of Aitkin, or any two of them, may hold their initial public hearing jointly. The hearing must be held on the second Tuesday of December each year. The advertisement required in subdivision 5a may be a joint advertisement. The hearing is otherwise subject to the requirements of this section.

Subd. 10. Nobles County; joint initial public hearing.

Notwithstanding any other law, Nobles County, the city of Worthington, and Independent School District No. 518, Worthington, or any two of them, may hold their initial public hearing jointly. The hearing must be held on the second Tuesday of December each year. The advertisement required in subdivision 5a may be a joint advertisement. The hearing is otherwise subject to the requirements of this section.