How New Brighton is run
Who runs New Brighton, 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 New Brighton's own public documents. Every number links to its source and says which year it describes. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Who runs New Brighton
New Brighton has a council-manager form of government. The mayor and four council members pass ordinances, adopt the budget and hire the city manager. The city manager oversees day-to-day operations and appoints department heads.
What they are paid
New Brighton city staff
141 full-time-equivalent positions, including Parks and recreation 45, Public safety 41, Community assets and development 28, Finance, license bureau and passports 18, Administration and IT 10. FY2026. Adopted 2026 budget, excluding paid-on-call firefighters. City of New Brighton · Dec 9, 2025
The city posts the base salaries of its three highest-paid employees each year. We found no full employee pay list. We name pay only for elected officials and the city manager.
Is New Brighton 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 preliminary 2027 general fund budget is $27,003,100, up 5.4%. The preliminary 2027 citywide levy is $17,122,700, up $1,004,800 or 6.2% from 2026. It includes a general fund levy of $16,478,600, up 6.6%. City of New Brighton · Sep 8, 2026
Savings against the city's own target
Unassigned general fund balance: $10.9M (2025-12-31). The city's own target: The fund balance policy requires a year-end minimum of 35% of the next year's budgeted operating spending, with a target of 41% to 45%. At December 31, 2025, unassigned fund balance equaled 45% of 2026 budgeted operating spending. The city meets this target. City of New Brighton · May 12, 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$15.5M · 60%
- Charges for services$4.6M · 18%
- Intergovernmental$1.2M · 5%
- Franchise taxes$1.2M · 5%
- In-house engineering and administration charges$932,900 · 4%
- Transfers in$753,000 · 3%
- Building permits$500,000 · 2%
- Other (rents, licenses, investment income, fines, other)$888,800 · 3%
Goes to (FY2026)
- Police$7.7M · 30%
- Community center$2.5M · 10%
- Transfers to other funds$2.3M · 9%
- Parks$2.2M · 9%
- Administration$1.5M · 6%
- Fire$1.5M · 6%
- Recreation$1.3M · 5%
- Other (community development, license bureau, finance, garage, other, less turnover savings)$6.5M · 25%
Who provides your services
Not everything in New Brighton is run by the city. Who provides a service decides whose budget pays for it and whose election decides it.
- PoliceThe cityNew Brighton Department of Public SafetyPolice and fire are combined in one public safety department.City of New Brighton · May 12, 2026
- FireThe cityNew Brighton Department of Public SafetyFirefighters are paid-on-call volunteers.City of New Brighton · May 12, 2026
- 911 dispatchThe countyRamsey County Emergency CommunicationsThe city pays $149,900 in 2026 for dispatch.City of New Brighton · Dec 9, 2025
- WaterThe cityCity water utilityCity of New Brighton · May 12, 2026
- SewerThe cityCity sewer utilityTreatment is by Metropolitan Council Environmental Services.City of New Brighton · May 12, 2026
- TrashPrivate companyPrivate haulersCity of New Brighton · May 12, 2026
- StreetsThe cityCity public worksCity of New Brighton · May 12, 2026
- Parks and recreationThe cityCity parks and recreationIncludes the New Brighton Community Center and Brightwood Hills Golf Course.City of New Brighton · May 12, 2026
- License bureau and passportsThe cityCity finance departmentCity of New Brighton · May 12, 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 | NorthfieldMN | WillmarMN | New BrightonMN | CrystalMN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 21,992 | 22,001 | 22,159 | 22,239 |
| Top administrator's base pay | $208,977 | $164,570 | $204,100 | Not current (2023) |
| Council member pay | $10,302 | Not confirmed | $7,000 | $8,170 |
| General fund per resident | $947 | $1,049 | $1,156 | $1,180 |
| Debt per resident | $3,566 | $4,833 | $1,240 | $323 |
| Unfunded pension per resident | $235 | $257 | $258 | $262 |
| City staff per 1,000 residents | 5.6 | — | 6.4 | 4.4 |
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). Northfield pays another agency for police or fire, so its own staff count is lower.
What New Brighton publishes
What a resident can find online today. A "no" is something you can ask the council to publish.
- Yes: Adopted budget posted onlineThe Finance page posts the 2026 adopted budget, budget overview, truth-in-taxation presentation and capital plan. City of New Brighton · Oct 10, 2026
- No: City manager's contract findable onlineWe found no employment agreement online. The city's salary notice states his base salary. City of New Brighton · Oct 10, 2026
- Partly: Council pay stated in a public document City of New Brighton · Dec 9, 2025
- Partly: Employee pay publishedThe city posts base salaries of its top-paid employees, led by the city manager at $204,100. We found no full pay list. City of New Brighton · Oct 10, 2026
Questions to ask your council
- The preliminary 2027 levy is $17.1 million, up 6.2%, after a 6.37% increase for 2026. Which costs drive the increase?
- Unassigned reserves were $10.9 million at the end of 2025, 45% of 2026 budgeted spending, at the top of the 41% to 45% target. How will any amount above the target be used?
- Tax increment bonds make up $17.2 million of the city's $27.5 million in bonds. How will the tax increment districts repay them?
- Police is the largest general fund line at $7.7 million in 2026. How will the staffing study recommendations change that cost?
The fiscal year starts January 1. A resolution adopting the preliminary 2027 levy was on the September 8, 2026 council agenda. A budget and levy discussion with public comment is set for December 1, 2026. Final 2027 levies and budgets must be adopted by December 28, 2026. See who is running for council
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