For Amanda Hawkins, opening the envelope containing a new, higher valuation assessment on her New Brighton home was jaw-dropping news. It has, in turn, led to a big spike for the home’s 2026 property tax statement.
“It was definitely sticker shock,” Hawkins said.
Hawkins will see a 26 percent increase in her taxes this year — more than $1,000 in total. She was hit with increased taxes from the city and county, along with a huge jump in the valuation of her house. Now she’s wondering if she and her partner’s decision to buy their first home in 2024, with three young children, was a good idea…