How Blaine is run
Who runs Blaine, what it costs, and where your money goes
The city manager, council pay, the budget, your property tax bill and who provides each service, from Blaine's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Who runs Blaine
A city manager hired by the council runs the city day to day. The council sets policy, adopts the budget and sets the tax rate.
What they are paid
- $14,947 a year in deferred compensation
- Health, dental, life and disability insurance like other non-union staff
- $50,000 basic life insurance
- Employer pension contribution set by state law (PERA)
- A daily sum and expenses when traveling outside the city on city business
Blaine city staff
262 full-time-equivalent positions, including Police officers 95, Public works maintenance 43. FY2025. City of Blaine · Jun 18, 2026
The budget shows department totals and position counts. We found no city-published pay list for individual employees. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is Blaine in the red?
Cities must pass a balanced budget, so "profit" and "deficit" mean something different here. The useful questions: does the city's everyday money (the general fund) cover its everyday costs, how much does it keep in savings compared with its own target, and how big are its pension and debt bills.
Savings against the city's own target
Unassigned general fund balance: $24.5M (2025-12-31). The city's own target: Keep unassigned general fund balance of at least 30% of next year's budgeted spending, plus 5% of next year's gross property tax levy and an amount equal to the year's state public safety aid. The city meets this target. City of Blaine · Jun 18, 2026
Bar: unassigned savings of $24.5M. Line: the amount the city's target calls for.
Why we skip the "budgeted deficit": many cities plan to dip into savings, then spend less than planned. The audited result tells you what really happened.
Where the money comes from and goes
The general fund only: the city's everyday money for FY2026.
Comes from
- Property and other taxes$43.2M · 80%
- Charges for services$5.3M · 10%
- Licenses and permits$2.3M · 4%
- State and federal aid$2.3M · 4%
- Investment earnings$230,000 · 0%
- Fines and forfeits$220,000 · 0%
- Other (miscellaneous and transfers in)$242,400 · 0%
Goes to (FY2026)
- Police (Safety Services)$23M · 43%
- Public works$10.4M · 19%
- Finance and IT$4.6M · 9%
- Administration$3.3M · 6%
- Community development$3.1M · 6%
- Fire (SBM Fire Department funding)$2.9M · 5%
- Engineering$2.4M · 4%
- Other (recreation, unallocated, mayor and council)$3.6M · 7%
Your property tax bill: who gets it
Minnesota property taxes are mostly set as a rate on a property's tax capacity. This split leaves out voter-approved school levies charged on market value.
46¢
of each property-tax dollar goes to the city of Blaine
- City of Blaine38.232 · 46%
- Anoka County30.245 · 36%
- School District 11 (Anoka-Hennepin)Parts of Blaine are in School Districts 12 and 16, with higher rates.13.598 · 16%
- Special districts1.599 · 2%
- Total (percent of tax capacity)83.674
Taxes payable 2025 tax capacity rates for property in Blaine (Anoka County), School District 11 area. City of Blaine · Jun 18, 2026
See what a Blaine house pays, line by line →Who provides your services
Not everything in Blaine is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- FireContractorSpring Lake Park-Blaine-Mounds View Fire DepartmentA nonprofit fire department run under a joint powers agreement with Spring Lake Park and Mounds View.City of Blaine · Jun 18, 2026
- WaterThe cityCity water utilityCity of Blaine · Jun 18, 2026
- Sewer collectionThe cityCity sewer utilityCity of Blaine · Jun 18, 2026
- Sewage treatmentAnother agencyMetropolitan Council Environmental ServicesCity of Blaine · Jun 18, 2026
- StreetsThe cityCity of BlaineCity of Blaine · Jun 18, 2026
- Storm waterThe cityCity storm water utilityCity of Blaine · Jun 18, 2026
- Parks and recreationThe cityCity of BlaineCity of Blaine · Jun 18, 2026
Compared with similar cities
The cities in this state closest in population that we cover. Read it for scale, not as a ranking: cities provide different services.
| Per city | Maple GroveMN | BlaineMN | PlymouthMN | LakevilleMN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 73,893 | 76,603 | 78,942 | 79,270 |
| Top administrator's base pay | $252,000 | $225,000 | $248,350 | $261,483 |
| Council member pay | Not confirmed | $13,462 | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| General fund per resident | $756 | $697 | $768 | $588 |
| Debt per resident | $1,525 | $2,283 | $661 | $2,251 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $202 | $177 | $214 | $172 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | 4.0 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 3.6 |
Figures as shown in each city's section, divided by its population. Years differ by state, and pension figures are measured differently in each state (each city page says how). Blaine pays another agency for police or fire, so its own staff count is lower.
What Blaine publishes
What a resident can find online today. A "no" is something you can ask the council to publish.
- Partly: Adopted budget posted onlineThe fund-by-fund 2026 budget is in the December 15, 2025 council packet. The budget page posts the levy presentation, not a full budget book. City of Blaine · Dec 15, 2025
- Yes: City manager's contract findable onlineThe city manager's 2025 employment agreement is in the October 6, 2025 council packet. City of Blaine · Oct 6, 2025
- Yes: Council pay stated in a public documentA council staff report quotes the salary ordinance: $1,526.25 a month for the mayor and $1,121.80 for council members. City of Blaine · Oct 6, 2025
Questions to ask your council
- The 2026 general fund budget is $53.4 million, up from $49.7 million in 2025. Which costs drove the increase?
- Unassigned general fund reserves were $24.5 million at the end of 2025, above the $19.0 million policy minimum. How much of the excess should go to one-time costs?
- The city owed $174.9 million in bonds and loans at the end of 2025. How much more borrowing does the capital plan expect?
- Police take $23.0 million of the 2026 general fund budget. What service levels does that spending pay for?
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