Zach Tabatt- Baxter City Council Member

08/27/2026

https://lakesarea.vote/zach-tabatt/

I’ve been a police officer and a financial advisor in past careers. I currently lead an economic development team providing loans and training to small businesses. I’ve also served on the county HRA board and other nonprofit boards. I have a BA degree from UMD and MS from Creighton University.

08/25/2026

The Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce, Brainerd Dispatch and others are again offering an important public service with their lakesarea.vote website. This is a chance to learn more about who will be on the ballot this fall:

I’ve been a police officer and a financial advisor in past careers. I currently lead an economic development team providing loans and training to small businesses. I’ve also served on the county HRA board and other nonprofit boards. I have a BA degree from UMD and MS from Creighton University.

08/06/2026

08/01/2026

It’s exciting to see this development happening in Baxter.

The Wondertrek Children’s Museum will be a great attraction for visitors and local families.

07/30/2026

If you can, please donate blood. This is a busy time of year, making it hard to squeeze in but it is also a time when auto crashes and other injuries are higher and our friends and neighbors might need lifesaving help.

Factors contributing to this crisis include extreme heat, poor air quality, and widespread foodborne illnesses, all of which the Red Cross said have contributed to lower donor turnout this season. The Red Cross is requesting donations of all blood types, but there is an urgent need for O negative an...

07/22/2026

This is a great annual community event!

07/15/2026

The past two terms have taught me a lot and given me the experience needed for greater service to the city.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve and I’m asking voters for their continued support.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1EpNML74jU/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Tabatt was elected in 2018 and reelected in 2022

06/05/2026

Connie Lyscio has been an excellent colleague over the past nearly 8 years. I thank her for her service and look forward to the next several months working together.

Council considers educational options to reach out to residents prior to assessment hearings.

06/04/2026

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/06/04/minnesota-lawmakers-reject-all-local-sales-tax-requests

Baxter was one of the 37 cities whose request was denied. As a rural, regional economic center, the less than 10,000 residents of this city cannot pay enough property taxes and sewer/water fees to keep up with the needs that are driven heavily by visitors to the city. A sales tax is a very fair way to spread costs and to give people some control over their taxes (one can choose not to buy a taxable item, but one cannot choose to skip property tax payments).

Furthermore: the ask from Baxter was for commercial street repair, the sewage treatment plant we share with Brainerd, and a desperately needed new police department building.

The total ask was for 100% non-luxury needs like State-mandated water treatment upgrades ($50+million to local taxes and fees if we don’t continue this sales tax) fixing roads for visitors, and upgrades that would allow our female police officers to have their own locker room among many other needs to support our dedicated public safety staff.

The Senate Tax Committee approved 37 local sales tax requests this past legislative session, but the requests foundered in the Minnesota House.