How Burnsville is run
Who runs Burnsville, 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 Burnsville's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Who runs Burnsville
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
- 25 days of vacation a year, with no cap on banked vacation
- Life insurance up to twice his annual salary
- PERA pension contributions as state law requires
Burnsville city staff
349 full-time-equivalent positions, including Police 106, Fire 71. FY2026. Full-time equivalent positions in the 2026 budget, up 10.7 from 2025. City of Burnsville · Dec 2, 2025
The city posts its 2026 pay ranges by grade. We found no city-published pay list for individual employees. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is Burnsville 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.
The city's own outlook
The 2026 budget plans to use $3.6 million of general fund balance. The five-year plan shows a smaller draw in 2027 and small surpluses from 2028, with property tax levy increases of 7.5% a year. The city says it is spending fund balance close to policy minimums as planned. City of Burnsville · Dec 2, 2025
Savings against the city's own target
Unassigned general fund balance: $33.9M (2025-12-31). The city's own target: Keep general fund balance at 40% to 50% of the next year's general fund operating budget. Unassigned balance at the end of 2025 equaled 50% of the 2026 budget, above the target level. City of Burnsville · Jun 9, 2026
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 taxes$47.9M · 70%
- Charges for services (EMS, engineering, recreation)$7.3M · 11%
- State and federal aid$3.7M · 5%
- Use of fund balance$3.6M · 5%
- Licenses and permits$2.8M · 4%
- Investment income$1.1M · 2%
- Other (rents, fines, lodging tax, transfers)$1.9M · 3%
Goes to (FY2026)
- Police$25.2M · 37%
- Fire and EMS$16.1M · 24%
- Parks, natural resources, recreation and facilities$7.9M · 12%
- Organizational services (IT, finance, HR, clerk)$7.2M · 11%
- Public works$5M · 7%
- Community development$3.3M · 5%
- Leadership and legal$2.4M · 4%
- Other (transfers, visitors bureau)$1.1M · 2%
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.
51¢
of each property-tax dollar goes to the city of Burnsville
- City of Burnsville45.806 · 51%
- Independent School District 191Parts of Burnsville are in School Districts 194 and 196, with different rates.20.374 · 23%
- Dakota County19.948 · 22%
- Special districts4.369 · 5%
- Total (percent of tax capacity)90.497
Taxes payable 2025 tax capacity rates for property in Burnsville (Dakota County), School District 191 area. City of Burnsville · Jun 9, 2026
See what a Burnsville home costs each year, line by line →Who provides your services
Not everything in Burnsville is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- FireThe cityBurnsville Fire DepartmentFull-time fire department.City of Burnsville · Jun 9, 2026
- 911 dispatchAnother agencyDakota 911City of Burnsville · Jun 9, 2026
- WaterThe cityCity of BurnsvilleCity of Burnsville · Jun 9, 2026
- Sewer collectionThe cityCity of BurnsvilleCity of Burnsville · Jun 9, 2026
- Wastewater treatmentAnother agencyMetropolitan Council Environmental ServicesCity of Burnsville · Dec 2, 2025
- Storm waterThe cityCity of BurnsvilleCity of Burnsville · Jun 9, 2026
- StreetsThe cityCity of BurnsvilleCity of Burnsville · Jun 9, 2026
- Parks and recreationThe cityCity of BurnsvilleCity of Burnsville · Jun 9, 2026
- Public transitAnother agencyMinnesota Valley Transit AuthorityA joint powers agency of Burnsville and six other cities.City of Burnsville · Jun 9, 2026
- Performing arts center, ice arena and golf courseThe cityCity of BurnsvilleCity of Burnsville · Jun 9, 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 | Eden PrairieMN | Coon RapidsMN | BurnsvilleMN | EaganMN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 63,075 | 64,193 | 65,244 | 67,109 |
| Top administrator's base pay | $253,864 | $243,650 | Not current (2022) | Not current (2022) |
| Council member pay | $14,137 | Not current (2022) | $18,000 | Not confirmed |
| General fund per resident | $1,014 | $706 | $1,047 | $898 |
| Debt per resident | $746 | $1,233 | $1,866 | $1,040 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $256 | $238 | $322 | $275 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | 4.7 | 4.8 | 5.4 | 4.9 |
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).
What Burnsville publishes
What a resident can find online today. A "no" is something you can ask the council to publish.
- Yes: Adopted budget posted online City of Burnsville · Dec 2, 2025
- Yes: City manager's contract findable onlineThe city manager's 2022 employment agreement is posted with the April 19, 2022 council meeting packet. City of Burnsville · Apr 19, 2022
- Yes: Council votes recorded member by member onlineMinutes list each member's vote by name, such as the 4-1 vote adopting the 2026 budget. City of Burnsville · Dec 2, 2025
- Yes: Meeting videos and minutes onlineCouncil agendas, minutes and meeting video are posted on the city's public meeting portal. City of Burnsville · Oct 10, 2026
- Yes: Council pay stated in a public documentAn April 2026 staff report states current pay of $18,000 for council members and $24,000 for the mayor. City of Burnsville · Apr 14, 2026
Questions to ask your council
- Police ($25.2 million) and fire and EMS ($16.1 million) make up most of the $68.3 million general fund budget for 2026. What service levels does that spending pay for?
- The 2026 budget uses $3.6 million of general fund balance, and the five-year plan assumes levy increases of 7.5% a year. How will the council keep reserves within the 40% to 50% policy?
- Debt rose to $121.8 million at the end of 2025 after $68.6 million of bonds for the Police City Hall project. How much more borrowing does the capital plan expect?
- Council members are paid $18,000 and the mayor $24,000 after the 2024 raise. How does that compare with the other cities in the council's own salary survey?
Help decide what comes next
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