Town Hall · Whalan

How Whalan is run

Whalan spent $118,000 in the year to December 31, 2022, about $1,788 per resident.

City budget

$118,000

spent, year to December 31, 2022

Per resident

$1,788

Below typical Minnesota cities ($2,225)

Long-term debt

None

at year end

City staff

full-time · 3 part-time

Typical tax bill

$2,045

a year · MN $3,357

What stands out about how Whalan is run

Read from the town’s budget, meetings and records. The page puts what stands out first.

Lower tax billsThe typical homeowner pays $2,045 a year in property tax, vs $3,357 across Minnesota.Runs its own water & sewer47% of spending goes to water, sewer and trash, paid largely by users’ fees.A shared school districtShares Lanesboro Public School District with 6+ other towns.

★ What stands out · Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $2,045 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.21% of the home’s value, vs 1.02% across Minnesota.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Minnesota$3,357

Whalan$2,045

$2,045

typical bill a year

1.21%

effective rate

$168,800

typical home value (Census)

Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Whalan’s rate.

Can I afford it? →

The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.

Your share of the budget

About $1,788 per resident a year, or $4.90 a day

The biggest line: water & other utilities, at 47% of spending.

WHALANYour share · per resident · year to December 31, 2022

Water & other utilities$55,000 · 47%$833

Roads & transportation$27,000 · 23%$409

Administration & buildings$10,000 · 8%$152

Fire$5,000 · 4%$76

Parks & libraries$1,000 · 1%$15

Other$20,000 · 17%$303

Total per resident$1,788

Whole budget $118,000 · 66 residents
Thank you for being a neighbor

Where the money comes from

Utility sales 51%Property taxes 32%From the state 10%Interest, fines & other 4%From the federal government 2%Other taxes & licenses 1%

The school district

Lanesboro Public School District

Whalan’s K–12 school district, shared with Lanesboro, Holt, Carrolton, Amherst, Pilot Mound and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Whalan →

$13,217

per pupil · MN $17,091

443

students

$6.5 million

long-term debt

Of the $13,217 per pupil, $8,914 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from

Local 25%State 69%Federal 6%

Minnesota districts overall: 30% local, 62% state, 8% federal.

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Whalan

Local officials aren’t in the public records we use for Whalan yet. Neighbors can add them.

Who works for Whalan

0 full-time staff

On the payroll in March 2022.

By department full-time, plus part-time

Administration & buildings0 + 2 pt

Roads & transportation0 + 1 pt

full-time

part-time

Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it’s approximate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

Who represents Whalan

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Whalan.

Politics & elections →

1
Your cityMayor & council

Local officials aren’t on record yet.
2
Minnesota HouseState representatives

Greg Davids
3
Minnesota SenateState senator

Jeremy Miller
4
GovernorStatewide

Tim Walz
5
U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress

Brad Finstad
6
U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Minnesota

Amy Klobuchar Tina Smith

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Reach Whalan’s government

Numbers and hours come from neighbors and the town’s own site (the Handbook). A new one goes live once two neighbors confirm it.

The Handbook →

Questions about how Whalan is run?

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →

Weigh in

Does Whalan get good value for its tax dollars?

Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.

Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. School district: Census school finance survey. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates. Representatives: Open States, the Census and congress-legislators.