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The county commissioners had much discussion when  reviewing next year’s levy number early this month.  When all was said and done the approval came on a 3-2 vote (story Press Dec. 11.) The no votes were tied to fear of going too low on revenues and anxiety about what the federal government will do.  

Three commissioners feel Chisago County will be able to tap into rainy day funds and react when or if the expected added financial burdens become clear.  

The two-vote minority that supported a slightly larger levy increase, envision  unmanageable stress on local governments.  The federal government can change the rules, or mandate a new way of administering social programs, that have the net result of costing Chisago County hundreds of thousands of dollars above expected expenses.  

The furrowed brows the decision-makers wore over the recent shutdown, were nothing compared to what the future holds.

County Health & Human Services (HHS) Director Robert Benson, who unfortunately for Chisago County has submitted his retirement notice — warns that one change already made to the percentage the federal government pays, cutting in half the support for administering SNAP, is anticipated will cost Chisago County $200,000 by October of 2026.

There also is a new contingency tied to what the county gets to provide SNAP benefits based on the “error rate” of a state as a whole.  

Beginning 2027 states will be mandated to add to SNAP costs at a level of five, 10 and 15 percent (depending on SNAP administration processes.)  While Chisago itself has a zero error rate, Benson explained, the state overall has touched on an error rate of 10 percent, at points in time.  

The state number will impact county programs individually.

“If this law were in effect today,” Benson stressed, “Chisago County could pay nearly $650,000 towards SNAP benefits.

“At this time we do not know what those rates will be for the state or what each county may pay,” Benson said.

Staff will also be spending more hours doing the new required “recertification” on SNAP benefits every six months.  Just as the workload increases the people doing the federally required verification tasks will either see reduced compensation aid or fewer people will be employed to do this.

Benson also noted that in another program, child protection, the federal conditions for Medicaid recipients are revised as of January 2027.

There will be exemptions,  but basically a certain number of hours of employment, volunteering or being engaged in education will become mandatory for recipients.

A new Minnesota law also is going into effect in August 2026 raising the age of ‘delinquency’ to 13 from 10.  

Those ages 10, 11, 12 will become a person in need of protection or services.  Out of home placement costs could soar and the number of children in the protection unit will increase and again, there is an anticipated need for staffing.

This discussion was just on concerns about the HHS department.  The county also is vulnerable for environmental, permitting, transportation and other new liabilities dependent on levels of funding that counties are ordered to make happen.

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