August 11, 2026 | Mark Luis Foster

Did you vote in the MN primary yet? In case you don’t know it, there’s a primary today for some pretty key races. Sad how many people don’t take the time to do it. If you don’t like the candidates who run in the general election, the primary is the way to help craft who makes it to that “pre-finish” line. I visited my polling location this morning around 8 a.m. and I was one of two people in there. I certainly hope there’s a better turn out today.

I’m in the south metro, and if being on an HOA board with rising costs isn’t stressful enough, word now comes from our Dakota County officials that our property tax bill is about to adjust into the double digits. From Fox 9:

Dakota County is considering three options for a property tax increase: a 21% hike, which would mean about $167 more per home per year, a 19% increase at $145 more per year and a 16% increase at $123 more per year. Every option includes cuts to staff and services.

Three options. So it’s like a smorgasbord. Or maybe it’s a psychological exercise of the “choice of three,” where you wear people down to get the answer you want, usually in the middle. Nineteen percent, anyone?

Residents like Jon Lajambe, who has lived in Eagan for 34 years, shared concerns about rising costs. “It’s very high here in Eagan I think the taxes are. And I’m sure they’re not going down,” said Lajambe. He added, “We’re just all trying to get by . . . trying to make ends meet. Everything’s more expensive.”

I’ll go along with that. Add to it the rising cost of insurance, the tight labor market, increases in materials and other services, and you have a recipe for some tough sledding for some HOA owners already suffering from cost-induced sticker shock, with prices rising steadily since 2020.

[Commissioner Laurie] Halverson said, “Things that are not necessarily in our control are really putting us in a situation of crisis.” She also addressed public concerns about spending, saying, “They’re asking really good questions. What are you spending the money on? Where can you cut? Are you lean? And I think the county has really good answers to that.”

You can read and watch HERE.