Frequently Asked Questions
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Assessor
Learn how to file a property tax refund on the Department of Revenue website.
Please visit the Department of Revenue website for detailed information about what to do before you appeal and how to appeal.
Minnesota statute defines "market value" as "the usual selling price . . . at the time of assessment." he estimated market value should be the most probable sale price of a property in terms of money in a competitive and open market assuming that a buyer and seller are acting prudently and knowledgeable, allowing sufficient time for the sale, and assuming that the transaction is not affected by undue pressures.
Visit our Estimated Market Value page or the Department of Revenue website for more information.
Please contact the Assessor's Office at 651-385-3040, prompt #1.
Property owners are encouraged to contact the Assessor’s Office (651-385-3040) with any questions and concerns about their assessment. At this time we will be taking phone calls to address concerns prior to the Local Boards of Appeals and Equalization meetings.
For directions on how to appeal an assessment, please visit our Board of Appeal & Equalization page.
The Office is located at the Goodhue County Government Center, 509 West 5th St., Red Wing, Minnesota 55066.
Auditor/Treasurer
There are three entities that determine your property tax:
- State Legislature: Establishes property classes and class rates, determines levels of state aid to local units of government, sets the amount of homestead credit exclusion, sets the state general tax rate and mandates programs to local government.
- Local Government: Local units of government determine their tax levy amount.
- County Assessor: Assigns each property a market value and property classification as provided by state statute. Note: Taxes due in 2024 are based on the Jan. 2, 2023 market value and classification.
The property tax is the result of actions taken by all three entities.
The usual format of the meeting is a budget presentation by the taxing jurisdiction followed by public comment and questions. At this meeting, county staff are available to answer questions about your property's market value and classification. All other cities and school districts hold separate meetings on different dates as listed on the proposed tax notice.
No. Governmental units must set a tax levy each year. Increasing the levy is the only way a local government will receive more property tax dollars. If a local government doesn't increase its levy, property owners may still see increases in property taxes for that local government if their values are increasing faster than other property in the district; other property owners may see tax decreases.
The amount on the proposed tax notice is an estimate. The actual amount will likely differ due to:
- New referendums.
- New homestead classifications.
- Jurisdictions lowering their levy.
- Special assessments and other non-tax charges that may be billed on the tax statement.
No. The notices are only based on levies prior to the referendum election. School districts mail all properties a notice detailing the tax impact if the referendum passes. You should add the appropriate amount from that notice to the amount on the proposed tax notice to get your new estimated taxes. An updated notice will not be mailed.
A special assessment is an improvement, which directly benefits the property. Common assessments include costs for the installation or maintenance of streets, sidewalks, and sewers. It is shown as a separate amount on the tax statement and is not included on the Truth in Taxation Notice. The amount is based on how much the property benefits from the improvement and the cost of the project. The property's market value is not used to determine the amount of the special assessment.
Special assessment information is not available from the cities at the time notices are prepared. The intent of the proposed property tax notice is to provide the owner with information on the impact a tax jurisdictions anticipated budget will have on their specific property.
Health & Human Services
Economic Assistance
For suspected fraud involving recipients of cash assistance, child care assistance, food support, and health care call the Department of Human Services (DHS) at 651-431-3968 or 1-800-627-9977 or go to Report Fraud or GCHHS 651-385-3200.
Visit our Renewal page for renewal How-Tos, and visit MN Department of Human Services for additional FAQs.
- Renewal forms are processed in the order they are received.
- Your renewal will take longer if it is not complete or not signed. Answer all the questions and sign your renewal form to help us process it faster.
- DHS will notify you when your renewal form has been processed. We will send a notice if we need more information from you to decide your eligibility. We will send a notice to tell you whether your eligibility has been renewed.
Public Health
During power outages law enforcement, fire departments, EMS, and dispatch are responding to increased call volumes due to automated alarm systems alerting, stop lights not functioning, and people panicking. The power company is responding to identify and fix the reason for the outage. Being prepared with backup power, alternate solutions, and people to help you can mean the difference between a life-threatening event and just a slightly difficult time. This worksheet is a starting point to help you and your caregivers identify your electricity needs. Fill it out as best you can. Plan for the help you need.
Power Outage and Electrical Medical Devices Planning Worksheet
Social Services
Visit Goodhue County Child & Family Collaborative for mental health resource guides and community resources.
Please visit the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) website for assistance reporting suspected abuse.
The State of Minnesota has many additional health and human services available to the public including:
- Minnesota Relay
- A free program for individuals who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or speech disabled that helps them make and receive phone calls.
- Help Me Connect
- A website connecting expectant families and families with young children and those working with such families to local services supporting healthy child development.
Probation - Court Services
Please click on the button below to pay your court fines/fees on the district court website or call 651-267-4800.
Please click on the button below to pay your supervision fees/class fees on the county website.
Any adult felony offenders will be supervised by Department of Corrections (DOC). If your case was initiated in Goodhue County, please contact the Red Wing Office, Department of Corrections, at 651-301-7201.
Any felony, gross misdemeanor, misdemeanor, or petty misdemeanor juvenile offenders will be supervised by County Probation.
Please refer to 1st Judicial District Court at 651-267-4800 or use the link below:
Recorder
No, you need to download the application, have your signature notarized, and mail it in with the appropriate fees. For more information, contact us 651-385-3148.
Appear in person at Goodhue County Recorder’s Office with a valid ID and payment. Or you can apply by mail with the notarized birth certificate application and appropriate fees.
A marriage license must be applied for in person at the Goodhue County Recorder’s Office. Payment is required at the time you apply.
Yes, the license is valid in any county in the state of Minnesota.
You will need to go to the county that you applied for your marriage license. You can request by mail or come in person to request one. Use the Minnesota Official Marriage System to search for a Marriage Certificate.
No, forms need to be filled out by the applicant. The Recorder’s Office does not have a license to practice law, so you will need to contact your own attorney for legal advice and for help with completing forms in regards to real property.
We have 2 public terminals that you can search for the information, if you know when you are planning on coming in please contact our office to set up a time, so we can reserve a public terminal for you.
Sheriff's Office
Administration
When a city chooses to contract for police services with the Sheriff’s Office, it hires the Sheriff to enhance the basic services already provided by the county. Essentially, the city contracts the Sheriff to become the local police department and provide a quality level of police service.
By statute, the Sheriff is responsible to “keep the peace,” “pursue and apprehend felons,” “be officers of the court,” “patrol water ways,” “death investigation,” “search for missing or lost persons,” and is the “keeper of the jail.”
Additionally, the County Board has authorized the Sheriff to operate a 911 dispatch center, maintain an adult detention center (jail), operate a uniformed road patrol division, civil/bailiff/transport division, and a water / ATV / snowmobile division to meet the basic statutory requirements of responding to emergencies and investigating major crimes. The Sheriff’s Office also provides canine units, a Tactical (SWAT) Team, school resource officers, and an investigation division to aid us in meeting the public safety concerns of the citizens of Pine Island and all of Goodhue County.
A city has the responsibility to manage policing issues in their community and the responsibility to furnish police services to handle their calls. In order to meet this responsibility, cities have the statutory authority to create their own police department, join a joint powers police department, or contract for police services from the Sheriff’s Office.
Contract policing allows the city to partner with the county and leverage resources together to share and reduce costs for supervision, administration, training, clerical support, vehicles and equipment. Contracting also facilitates greater communication and coordination creating an efficient, effective and affordable model of policing for your community.
Community leaders identify the level of police service they would like to provide their community. Typically this includes preventive patrol, traffic enforcement, local ordinance enforcement, home / business checks, investigation of crimes, animal and public nuisance complaints, community event coordination, and crime prevention. School resource deputies are also provided to the City of Pine Island. This position is contracted and paid for in part by the Pine Island School District, along with the Sheriff’s Office.
Camera Registry Program
No. Registering your cameras simply means the Sheriff’s Office will know where your cameras are in case there is a criminal incident. They have no direct access to your cameras and will only use the registry to contact you to request footage in the event of an incident in your vicinity.
Only authorized law enforcement users have access to the camera registry map in their jurisdiction.
No. Registering cameras does not require any hardware, fees or subscriptions. This is a public safety utility provided to the public by the county, which makes it very easy for the Deputy to send a digital footage request to a camera owner, and for the owner to fulfill that request without actual visit necessary.
No. Your camera registry data is classified as protected non-public data and is only accessible by authorized users of our system.
CodeRED
A CodeRED message will have the caller ID # 866-419-5000 for emergencies and caller ID # 855-969-4636 for non-emergencies. We suggest that you program these numbers into your cell phone as a "new contact" and use "CodeRED" as the contact name. If you need to replay the message received, you can dial this number and listen to the message again in its entirety
If you receive a CodeRED phone call, listen carefully to the entire message. You can repeat the message by pressing any key. Do not call 9-1-1 for further information unless directed to do so, or you need immediate aide from the police or fire department. If you receive a CodeRED email or text message, please be sure to read the entire message carefully and follow all instructions.
CodeRED offers a mobile app for Android and iPhone devices. All residents and business owners are encouraged to download the free app to receive alerts based on the geo-location of your phone. As you travel through-out other CodeRED communities, you can receive important alerts that include community, emergency, and severe weather information. To download the CodeRED Mobile Alert app, visit Google Play or the App Store.
Veterans Service Office
Review the description of a veteran on the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs website.
Every veteran is unique. Contact our office to set up an appointment and bring along your DD-214 (discharge papers) to go over possible benefits.
The National Personnel Records Center can provide this information upon request by submitting a signed and dated Standard Form 180. Requests can take up to 90 days. If you were a Goodhue County resident upon discharge from active military service, a copy of your discharge document may be in the Goodhue County or State of Minnesota database. Contact our office and we can take a look.
The U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides many ways to apply for enrollment for VA health care.
Disability compensation is a benefit given to veterans who are disabled because of disease or injury incurred or aggravated during active duty service.
The U.S. Government does not issue a "Veteran ID Card" to all veterans. However, there are a few instances where a veteran may qualify to receive a government-issued ID card that notates veteran status.
Those eligible for VA pension who require the aid and attendance of another person or are housebound may be eligible for additional compensation, commonly referred to as Aid & Attendance.
The VA offers a variety of benefits and services to spouses, children, and parents of Service members and Veterans who are deceased or totally and permanently disabled by a service-connected disability.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources offers several licensing, lottery, safety exemptions, and benefits to military personnel and veterans.
Burial is open to all Veterans discharged from active military service under conditions other than dishonorable. See the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery website for additional information and their brochure.
Contact Goodhue County Veteran Services to make an appointment at one of our offices. Our office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday except for federal holidays.
If you have new and material evidence to support your previously denied claim or information telling the VA where the evidence can be obtained, we can help submit the proper paperwork to reopen the claim.
