Albert Lea is a city built around lakes, perfect for boating much of the year and ice fishing when frozen over. But it’s the land, not the water, that’s going to be harder to contend with for many residents come next year.

That’s because property taxes are going to carry more of a sting.

The city of Albert Lea, Freeborn County and the Albert Lea School District have all proposed to raise their tax levies for 2026 — by 8 percent for the city, 15 percent for the county and 6.7 percent for the school district.

Even local officials who help set the levies know that there could be a compounding effect.

"You may think $50 or $100 more a year isn't a big deal. It's a big deal to people that are living on a fixed income,” Albert Lea Mayor Rich Murray said in an interview this month. “And so we

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