Olmsted County officials announced on Apr. 10 that a data entry mistake led to an extra $1.5 million being assessed in the county’s 2026 property tax levy.
The issue, which amounts to about one percent of the overall county levy, was discovered by staff and has prompted changes in internal controls to prevent future mistakes.
County Administrator Travis Gransee said, “This was a genuine human mistake.” He explained that staff will recommend the $1.5 million collected due to the error be set aside and used for the 2027 budget instead.
Gransee also addressed how officials responded after finding the error: “Transparency is the foundation of trust. Once we identified and verified this error through internal processes, we were in direct communication with the Minnesota Department of Revenue and moved quickly to notify the public.” He added that Olmsted County is working with both its auditor and state revenue authorities “to ensure this matter is handled properly and transparently.”
Board Chair David Senjem commented on efforts to restore confidence: “Community trust is one of Olmsted County’s strategic priorities. We understand the significance of getting our property tax levy right and are taking concrete steps to strengthen our controls to prevent errors like this in the future. We remain accountable to you and to being responsible stewards of public funds.”
Residents who have questions can contact county staff at propertyweb@olmstedcounty.gov or call 507-328-7670.
