Editor’s note: This story was updated at 4:41 p.m. July 7 to include the correct mill levy for this year is 24.125.
County commissioners last week took a step toward finalizing the 2026 county, parks and library budget with a procedural vote Thursday acknowledging that the amount of revenue raised from property taxes would exceed the amount raised last year’s budget.
Commissioners voted 6-1 to exceed the “revenue neutral” rate — a vote required by state law — and set a public hearing for Aug. 20, before the final budget is adopted. Commissioner Michael Ashcraft cast the lone dissenting vote.
County Budget Director Robin Symes introduced the budget as a “responsible balanced budget” with a flat mill levy (or property tax rate), no expansion of county services and no new property tax-funded positions from last year.
At the same time, county officials have sought to maintain services for disadvantaged residents, including a court mediation program in eviction cases, incentives for landlords accepting housing vouchers and food pantry and nutritional services, Symes said.
Commissioners praised county staff for putting together a spending plan that maintains services residents want while addressing inflation. Commissioner Janeé Hanzlick noted that providing services for disadvantaged residents is a requirement of the Kansas Constitution.
The vote last Thursday was not the end of budget discussions. Under state law, the budget draft can still be changed, but it cannot be increased before final action is anticipated Aug. 28.
Here’s are some key points of the budget so far:
Total spending
The total spending proposed is up to $1.9 billion for 2026.
That number represents all revenue sources, not just property taxes. Sales taxes, grants and user fees like those charged for wastewater usage are also included.
Of the $1.9 billion, about $1.4 billion is expenditures, with another $505 million held in reserves.
Revenue breakdown among taxing districts
Of the estimated $400 million in spending that comes from property taxes, $294 million goes to the county taxing district.
Another $53 million goes to the county library taxing district and another $51.5 million goes to the park and recreation district.
The taxing rate
The rate used to figure property taxes won’t be finalized until October, when the assessed valuations are set.
Budget officials set it at 24.095 mills, but they project the levy could increase slightly because of challenges to those assessments. Once that is finished, budget officials say, the mill levy will likely be 24.125 overall.
That’s in line with this year’s mill rate of 24.125.
The county library system and parks districts have their own mill levies, which are included in that total.
The mill rate breaks down as follows: 17.286 mills for the county, 3.816 mills for the library and 3.023 mills for the park district.
The proposed levy would add about $85 to the annual tax bill of the average single-family Johnson County home, which has an appraised value of about $508,000.
Public safety sales tax
Although there has been much discussion this year of extending the public safety sales tax as a way of paying for some law-enforcement related items, it is not included in the 2026 budget.
The sales tax, technically named Public Safety Three, which was used to build the new courthouse, is set to expire in March of 2027. An extension needs a countywide vote, which will be on the November ballot this year.
According to staff estimates, an extension would bring in $54 million a year which would be divided between the county and local cities. The county’s portion would come to about $35 million a year.
Commissioner pay raises
Ashcraft asked about the pay raises, which were approved by the commission late last year and are included in the budget.
In December, the commission approved a one-time 23% pay bump, their first salary increase since 2011. The raise was intended to keep low pay from deterring people of all financial backgrounds from serving. Although it’s a part-time job, some commissioners have said they spend many hours beyond part-time on their constituents’ needs.
Public comments critical of budget
Two members of the public spoke before the vote last Thursday. Both were opposed to the budget as presented.
Westwood Hills lawyer Ben Hobert was critical of tax abatements and tax increment financing incentives for developers, saying “they are cannibalizing the tax base and increasingly putting all of the onus, all of the burden on citizens who own property as residents.”
Phil Bauer of Leawood suggested the commission instead cut the approximately $33 million in spending to replace the Corinth Library in Prairie Village. He said the county should fix the roof leaks and other problems instead of building a new branch.
What are next steps?
The public hearing for the county’s budget is set for 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 20, at the Olathe Conference Center, 10401 S. Ridgeview Road in Olathe.
That’s a change from past public hearings, which have been in the board hearing room in the county Administration Building.
