Brainerd City Council Sets Preliminary Airport Levy at $1,000

The Brainerd City Council approved setting the preliminary levy for the Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport at $1,000 on Monday night.

The council tabled a vote on setting the airport’s 2025 levy at $150,000 from the September 3rd council meeting. That vote was a 3-3 tie, with council member Kara Terry absent Monday night.

As the deciding vote in ties, Mayor Dave Badeaux voted against the $150,000 levy. Council member Jeff Czeczok then made the motion to set the airport levy at $1,000.

The airport is currently joint-owned by the city and Crow Wing County. Council members in the past have stated that the county should take full ownership of the airport and administer the entire levy, and reiterated those stances Monday night.

“There is no rational explanation why the county cannot administer this entire levy, and it’s based on one thing, and that’s fairness,” stated Czeczok. “And when you’re taxing people twice, there’s no other explanation for that. There’s no other example of unfairness that I’ve ever heard of. And if you spread this levy out against the whole entire county tax base, it’s a much easier pill to swallow for everybody.”

“I think we need to do what’s best for our taxpayers,” added council president Kelly Bevans. “And our taxpayers are still paying $1,000 more than anybody else in the county.”

If the council decides later to increase the levy for the airport, they would have to cut the overall operating levy by that amount. The Crow Wing County Board is expected to set its preliminary levy on September 24th.