23 August 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Most Sedgwick County property owners will see a smaller increase in their property taxes next year than initially thought.
On Tuesday, the Sedgwick County Commission voted to reduce the County’s mill levy from 29.37 to a flat 29 mills. It came as commissioners considered the 2024 proposed budget and the capital improvement program.
During Wednesday’s meeting, several homeowners said they were unhappy with the higher property taxes that came with higher property valuations earlier this year.
LaFonda Gray is an Army veteran who served three campaigns — Desert Storm, Grenada, and Panama.
“I can’t get out and work like I need to work due to neuropathy and shrapnel and things of that nature, not that I want you to feel sorry for me. I definitely don’t want you to do that,” Gray told the commissioners. “When your taxes increase, my mortgage increases. So, I just want and ask of you and beg of you to look at some type of program that can be implemented to help service members that come back from overseas.”
Maxine Bostic spoke for teachers and other homeowners.
“We’ve got 50% increases in water, 50% increases in gas. Electricity has plans to increase. All state and school employees, we can’t get out and get a second job,” she said. “Please, no more raises in taxes.”
Before the budget vote, the commissioners had to vote on whether to exceed the revenue neutral rate. Basically, if a jurisdiction will collect even a dollar more in property taxes than the previous year, it is exceeding the RNR. The commissioners all agreed that was going to happen.
“The reason the taxes are going up is last year’s $100,000 home on average increased 8.98% value this year, so the house is worth more money,” Commissioner Jim Howell said.
The commissioners also said they want homeowners to know they understand it is a burden. Each commissioner wanted to reduce the mill levy rate but disagreed on how much.
The current mill levy rate is 29.370. Howell wanted to drop the rate by .5 to 28.87. Commissioners David Dennis and Sarah Lopez wanted a smaller cut of .25 to 29.12. Commissioners Pete Meitzner and Ryan Baty favored something between the two — a drop of .37 to bring the County to a flat mill levy of 29. That is the option that was finally approved, three to two. Howell and Dennis voted against it.
The County says the .37 mill levy reduction will mean savings of:
$4.26 a year on a $100,000 home,
$8.51 on a $200,000 home, and
$12.77 on a $300,000 home.
“This year’s $100,000 house was worth 8.98% less last year on average, so if the house saw no increase in value, they actually would have a small tax decrease because of today’s action,” Howell explained after the meeting. “Will they have a tax increase or decrease depends on each home value independently — whether or not it had changed in value or not.”
The .37 mill levy reduction will affect the County. It expects to bring in $2.38 million less in property taxes. Even with the cut, the commissioners were able to approve the 2024 budget and the capital improvement program.
The County’s 2024 adopted budget totals $518.46 million and $27.74 million for Sedgwick County Fire District 1, with an estimated property tax rate of 17.889 mills. Together, the budgets total $546.2 million.
The County started working on the budget in February and set five goals:
Stabilization of staff by addressing pay, work environment and training
Strategic staffing modification in specific areas
Maintaining capital improvement projects
Continued commitment to mental health
No mill levy increase
“Commissioners, along with Sedgwick County leadership, worked hard to hold the line on spending while also providing needed improvements to staffing, pay and planning for the future,” Commission Chairman Meitzner said. “I’m proud we were able to lower the mill levy and reduce property taxes for residents.”
Some details of the budget include:
$22.7 million increase in employee compensation:
2% pay scale adjustment, plus step increases for the Sheriff’s Office and EMS
New pay plan for Sedgwick County Fire District 1 to improve retention and recruitment
Compensation adjustment for many General pay plan employees
3% pay adjustment for all other County employees
13 additional Full-Time Employees (FTE) in key positions, including:
3 – Elections Office
2 – Appraiser’s Office
2 – Fire District #1
1.5 – Corrections
1 – 911 Emergency Communications
1 – Regional Forensic Science Center
1 – EMS, with return to 2-paramedic ambulance crews
1 – Fleet Maintenance
0.5 – Finance
21.7 FTE positions eliminated, including:
8.5 – ARPA/COVID-related
$6.6 million for facility upkeep and improvements
$760 thousand in flood control and drainage projects
Continued road and bridge improvements
$1 million for mental health contingency fund
The budget takes effect on Jan. 1, 2024.