City council approves final 2026 levy with 6.81% increase

The Worthington City Council on Monday approved a 2026 final levy that represents a 6.81% increase over this past year.

Council members had approved back in September a preliminary, not-to-exceed levy that represented a 14.0% increase over last year's figure. Councilman Mike Kuhle thanked city staff for their efforts in cutting the levy down from the earlier amount.

Worthington City Administrator Steve Robinson led a Truth in Taxation presentation prior to the council's vote on the final levy. Robinson noted that costs for improvement construction, including road repair, are increased by 24% in the 2026 budget, and there's about $100,000 in salaries and benefits increases. Costs are also up for operational expenses, he said.

Robinson also noted that the levy increases for the city have been trending downward. The 2025 final levy represented a 9.5% increase over the previous year. In 2024, there was a 10.64% increase in the final levy compared to 2023.

In other business Monday, the council — acting on a motion made by Kuhle — approved without further discussion an additional $2 million in sales tax revenue for the planned ice arena project.  

Council members had previously approved a funding commitment of $5 million last spring. The District 518 Board of Education has committed $5 million in funding toward a new ice facility, and the Worthington Public Utilities Water & Light Commission approved on Dec. 1 funding of up to $3 million.

Also Monday, council members approved four separate resolutions ordering preparations of reports for street reconstruction projects.

Two of the projects include work along Third Avenue from 11th Street to 13th Street and along Clary Street from McMillan Street to 13^th Street. The proposed improvements for each include base reconstruction, resurfacing, curb and gutter, driveways, water main, sanitary sewer main, storm sewer main and sanitary sewer services. 

Water main and sanitary sewer main work for both projects are planned for construction in 2026, with street reconstruction scheduled for 2027. The cost of the street improvements is proposed to be assessed to the abutting property owners.

The third resolution orders the preparation of a report on the reconstruction along a portion of Tower Street. The proposed improvements include base reconstruction, resurfacing, curb and gutter, driveways and storm sewer main. The improvement is proposed to be assessed to the abutting property owners.  

Also planned is the reconstruction of Flower Lane Alley from South Shore Drive to First Avenue Southwest. The proposed improvements include water main, sanitary main and sanitary sewer services. The improvement is proposed to be assessed to benefited property owners.