Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates was started in 1993 by a cabin owner who was concerned that rapidly escalating property taxes were putting a simple Minnesotan value out of reach, time spent with family and friends at a lake place.
At the time the tax rate on a cabin property was 2.25% of value. We worked hard, and by 2002 the tax rate on a cabin was the same as on a homestead, 1%. In addition, from 1994 until 2009 we were able to advocate for Limited Market Value that prevented market driven increases of more than 8% annually.
Since our founding, other threats to Minnesota’s lake and river heritage have emerged. Aquatic Invasive Species and runoff pollution are not only driving toxic algae blooms and degraded water quality, but the economic burden for managing these threats falls more and more on lake home and cabin owners.
Every day we work to protect a value we all share; time spent with family and friends at the lake. We want to see these times continue for your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
This means:
- Working to keep lake places affordable,
- Working to protect and improve water quality,
- Providing grants to help with shoreline management, aquatic invasive species control and prevention, septic system management, firewise wildfire protection, Sustainable Forest Incentive Act, non-typical insurance for remote properties, and more,
- Greater transparency in the taxation and permitting process.
There is no other group in Minnesota working to protect your investment and heritage. If lakes are to remain healthy and lake homes and cabins a viable part of Minn esota’s heritage, JOIN MLR TODAY.