September 7–13, 2026
The Rogers City Council set the 2027 budget and tax levy, canceled a paid-off bond charge that could lower your property tax bill, and all five bills coming up next week are federal with no firm vote dates.
On your property tax bill. The council took two steps Tuesday, September 8 that directly affect what you'll owe next year. First, it adopted the preliminary 2027 city budget and tax levy, locking in the total amount the city plans to collect from property owners. Your individual bill will depend on your home's assessed value and the final rate set after a public hearing on December 8, 2026, where you can speak before anything is finalized. Second, the council canceled the 2027 debt payments on bonds from 2014 that paid for the public safety building. Those bonds are paid off, so the city will stop collecting that portion of the tax levy, which should show up as a small reduction on next year's bill. Both measures are now adopted by the council.
Your water and sewer account. If you have unpaid water, sewer, recycling, or storm sewer charges, pay attention to October 13, 2026. The council voted Tuesday to schedule a public hearing that day on overdue utility bills. If your account has outstanding balances, the city could attach them to your property as a formal debt. That kind of attachment can block a home sale or refinancing until it's cleared. The hearing decision is adopted by the council; the October 13 date is now set.
Around the neighborhood. The council accepted the completed roads, water mains, and storm drains in the Skye Meadows 4th Addition development. The city now takes on maintenance for those streets and utilities, and the developer's financial guarantee has been released. Also adopted Tuesday: a one-time gambling fundraiser permit for the Rogers High School Graduation Night Supporters group, which will hold its event October 28 at Veit & Company to raise money for senior celebrations.
At the federal level. One federal bill signed this week that could matter if you've been through a major disaster: HR 5366 is now law and extends a tax break through 2027 that lets you deduct the full amount of losses from a federally declared disaster, rather than losing $500 off the top. It also lets wildfire survivors receive relief payments tax-free. If you haven't been through a declared disaster, this one doesn't change anything for you. Several other federal bills signed this week dealt with matters outside Rogers, including a land transfer in Paducah, Kentucky.
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Coming up next week:
Farm and food security drill. HR 9394 requires the Department of Homeland Security to run a large-scale practice exercise with federal, state, local, and private partners to test the country's ability to respond to biological attacks on farms and food supplies. Minnesota's agricultural sector would be part of the national system being tested. The bill cleared committee and is headed to a House floor vote; no firm vote date has been set.
Federal document access. HR 9342 locks in free public access to government publications through libraries and online and gives the Government Publishing Office new tools to digitize older records and speed up online delivery. It cleared committee and awaits a House floor vote.
Shelter dogs for border officers. HR 9327 sets up a three-year pilot program for U.S. Customs and Border Protection to adopt and train dogs from local animal shelters as support animals for officers dealing with grief and trauma. It is cleared from committee and awaiting a House floor vote.
See what's up for a vote now · Find your representatives