District Perspectives – Ramsey County Board Chair, Commissioner, District 5

Last month, I shared what Ramsey County’s fiscal health analysis tells us: how we use land—and the kind of development we support—has a direct impact on our ability to fund essential services and manage property tax pressures.

This month, I want to share what we are doing about it.

As a Ramsey County Commissioner, I hear clearly from residents: costs are rising, and property taxes feel like a growing burden. That concern is real—and it is exactly why we are advancing Building Stronger Together, a $320 million forward-looking economic development strategy designed to strengthen our tax base, grow opportunity and reduce long-term pressure on taxpayers.

At its core, Building Stronger Together focuses on two connected strategies.

First, we are investing $250 million into dedicated to downtown-focused investments, including major capital projects, infrastructure improvements, housing initiatives and business development efforts.

These investments will support:

Large-scale public infrastructure and placemaking projects like the Park at RiversEdge
A housing fund to help finance office-to-residential conversions, helping address both vacancies and housing supply
Improvements to transit corridors, streetscapes, and public spaces to increase accessibility and activity
Business activation funding to attract and support new and expanding businesses

These are upfront, long-term capital investments—the kind that require significant initial funding but are designed to generate ongoing property tax revenue growth over time.

As the fiscal health analysis showed, dense, mixed-use development generates significantly more tax value per acre. A strong downtown is not just a local benefit—it is a countywide asset that helps grow our overall tax base.

Second, we are unlocking the potential of more than 630 acres of county-owned land. This includes about $70 million to prepare sites for redevelopment, covering critical upfront costs like infrastructure, environmental cleanup, and planning. These investments make it possible to turn underutilized land into housing, jobs, and long-term economic activity.

We know residents are already feeling the strain. That is why this plan focuses on long-term solutions. The Building Stronger Together strategy does not additionally increase the property tax levy Instead, it uses existing dedicated resources and strategic bonding to make targeted, high-impact investments that are expected to pay off through expanded tax base and economic growth.

At a time when we are being asked to do more with limited resources, we cannot afford to stand still. Building Stronger Together is how we turn opportunity into action—strengthening our economy and building a more resilient future for all.

Learn more at: RamseyCountyMn.gov/ BuildingStrongerTogether.