MARSHALL — The city of Marshall will be moving forward with a 9.8% levy increase next year. In separate votes, City Council members acted to approve the 2025 city levy and budget on Tuesday.

“Our preliminary levy that was set in September was an increase of 9.8% from the 2024 property tax levy,” said E.J. Moberg, director of administrative services for the city of Marshall. “Staff is recommending no changes to that levy, recommending no changes to that levy, to continue to set that levy at $9,869,560.”

At Marshall’s annual “Truth in Taxation” hearing last week, Moberg said some of the factors that had an impact on the 2025 budget and levy included increases in health insurance costs, as well as personnel costs. The proposed budget included items like two new full-time employees in the Marshall Police Department.

There wasn’t a lot of discussion about the budget and levy at Tuesday’s city council meeting. Council Member James Lozinski said he would be supporting the proposed budget and levy, although he normally would not support a 9.8% levy increase.

“I know that we’ve had three years of, I would say, higher levies in my opinion,” Lozinski said. However, he said the proposed levy increase would go to help fund measures like the city no longer renting fleet vehicles from Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Lozinski said that “was a program that did not work out as planned.” The levy increase would also help support Marshall’s public safety budget.

“In the last three or four years, we’ve all heard about support for our police, and our police were underpaid four years ago when we did our (compensation) study,” Lozinski said.

“I as a council member know that we’ve really got to look at the budget for next year,” Lozinski said. He said he usually would not support a 9.8% levy increase. “But I will this year, because it gets us out of Enterprise, and to keep supporting our police in an effort to get their wages where they should be.”

In two separate votes, council members approved the proposed 2025 levy and budget.

“I just want a quick moment to thank all the staff and council for all the work that we put into doing the budgets. It’s never an easy task,” said council member Craig Schafer.