Commission Approves Preliminary 2027 Budget
Aug. 4, 2026 – The Mandan City Commission approved the 2027 preliminary budget during its Aug. 4 meeting. The City follows a needs-based budget process.
The proposed 2027 budget totals $43 million. Expenses for all funds combined are $2 million higher than the 2026 budget. Key factors driving this increase include employee salaries and benefits, operations and maintenance, and debt.
Mandan’s average residential property valuation increase was 5% in 2026 –when coupled with the proposed budget it equates to a $12.83 increase per $300,000 of true and full value for a residential property for the year. This excludes any special assessments.
Residents will notice a $9.48 per month increase for utility charges, totaling about $114 for the year. This is based on 800 cubic feet or 8 units of water. The majority stems from wastewater base and usage charges increasing for the Wastewater Treatment Facility improvement project. The remainder are contractual increases with Eco Sanitation for residential garbage services and Waste Management for recycling services.
The contribution from property tax revenue is $7.5 million with the remainder covered through user fees, special assessments, sales and use tax revenue, funds received from other sources such as federal and state contributions, and existing funds.
The preliminary budget counts on a transfer to the general fund of $3.5 million of the 1% city sales and use tax revenue, and $715,000 from the 0.5% city sales and use tax revenue dedicated for public safety costs.
To offset a portion of the cost for services in the general fund, the City will use $263,000 from the general fund balance.
In 2027, the City will invest $1.9 million in machinery and equipment. This includes equipment to help maintain the equipment replacement fleet schedule and information technology needs.
The draft budget includes a salary plan adjustment, approved by the City Commission in June. There are no new positions included for the year.
Property Tax Cap. As a reminder, House Bill 1176 limits a taxing district, such as the City of Mandan, to a maximum increase to the district’s total property tax levy on existing property at 3%. The bill has several exemptions, with the most prevalent being an exemption for new growth. It is important to remember that the maximum cap is on the taxing district’s totalproperty tax levy –not on each individual property.
City services account for only a portion of the local property tax bill. City services are at about 24% of the property taxes levied for Mandan property owners. This means the City receives $0.24 for every $1 of property taxes collected. The School District, Morton County and Park District services account for the remainder.
“The 2027 preliminary budget prioritizes the investments needed to keep Mandan moving forward,” says Mayor Jim Froelich, “From wastewater system improvements to equipment and technology upgrades, these projects help ensure we can continue delivering the essential services residents rely on while supporting the long-term needs and planning responsibly for our growing community.”
Public hearings. The Morton County treasurer, in accordance with state law, will mail letters by Aug. 31 to all property owners, notifying them of public hearing dates for all taxing entities. The City Commission’s public hearing on the budget is scheduled for Sept. 15 at 6 p.m. Then on Oct. 6 at 5:30 p.m., the preliminary budget will be taken to City Commission for final consideration and approval. Both meetings will take place at Mandan City Hall, 205 Second Ave NW.
For more information about the 2027 budget, contact the Finance Department at 701-667-3213. The preliminary budget documents are available at cityofmandan.com/budget.