Editor’s note: This story was updated at 4:35 p.m. Friday to clarify that the 2026 budget accounts for a 6.5% increase in budgeted property tax.
The $1.9 billion county budget proposed for 2026 is set to become reality now that county commissioners have taken the final step of voting it in.
The Johnson County Board of Commissioners on Thursday voted 6-1 in favor of a budget that results in about a 6.5% increase in budgeted revenues from property tax while nevertheless keeping a taxing rate approximately level with last year. Since real estate tax revenues are tied to property values, increases in home prices can cause property tax bills to increase.
According to county estimates, a home appraised at $500,000 last year would increase in value to $533,000 this year. With a 24.125 mill levy becoming effective after tax appeals are finished this fall, the annual tax bill on that home would increase by $91.56 over last year. That includes the county, park and library districts.
That increase accounts for just a portion of a person’s total property tax bill and does not include city, school district or other taxing bodies.
The $1.9 billion budget covers all county services, even ones like wastewater, which is funded by user fees, and other services that use non-property tax money. Of that, $505 million will be in reserves for unexpected expenses. Separate mill levies are set for the park and library systems. The park district has a levy of 3.020 mills, the county at 17.263 mills and library at 3.812 mills.
A public hearing last week on the budget drew a crowd of about 200, many of whom strenuously objected to the proposal to let tax revenues go up in line with property valuations. Some 47 people spoke, with the majority urging commissioners to reduce the taxing rate enough to keep their bills from increasing.
No similar crowd came to Thursday’s final vote. Three people spoke — all in opposition to the budget.
The budget is the result of months of planning and meetings that started in early spring and included several budget open houses at various locations this summer.
At last week’s hearing, several speakers said they thought the amount held in reserve is too high. Budget Director Robin Symes said Thursday the $505 million includes reserves whose use is restricted to certain budgets, such as wastewater, stormwater, the airport and parks and libraries.
Once those are removed, general fund reserves amount to $217 million of that $505 million, she said. But even those have some restrictions on usage for public safety and grants, for example. When all unrestricted use is subtracted, the amount available is about $23 million, she said.
One speaker, Phil Bauer of Leawood, has said the county could save $32 million by renovating rather than replacing the Corinth Library in Prairie Village. Symes explained later that no property tax money is budgeted next year for that library’s replacement. It is in the long range capital improvement budget for 2027, when officials plan to issue debt to pay for it.
Commissioner Becky Fast said the Corinth Library has problems with mold and a west basement from stormwater drainage.
Commissioner Julie Brewer pointed out that the robust bond rating has enabled the county to save on major improvements to the Myron K. Nelson wastewater treatment plant.
Commissioners have stressed the need to find efficiencies this year and are looking to an artificial intelligence platform to help them find ways to do that.
Commission Chair Mike Kelly said he wants to work with state legislators to, “make sure that they recognize the impact of limiting the levers of local government to be able to provide for itself, how that impacts property taxes.” The state mandates certain services, like motor vehicle registration, that do not always receive adequate compensation from the state, he and other commissioners have said.
Commissioner Michael Ashcraft, who cast the lone no vote, warned of budget challenges ahead. “We need to brace ourselves for a tough couple of years,” he said, suggesting the commissioners forgo their 1.5% salary increases, “just to recognize that we’re all going to have to make sacrifices over the next couple of years.” The commission approved the pay increases at the end of 2024, their first since 2011.
The commission also set fire district budgets
In other votes Thursday, the commission also set the budgets for the three county fire districts.
- Northwest Consolidated Fire District, which includes the northwestern mostly rural part of the county, will have a $6.5 million budget with a mill levy of 20.961. County officials plan a study of the sustainability of that district.
- Consolidated Fire District 1 is the result of a new merger this year between former Fire District 1 and Fire District 2, and covers the southern and southwestern part of the county. Its total budget is $22.4 million, with a mill levy of 13.724.
- Consolidated Fire District 2, which covers northeastern cities that don’t have their own fire departments, will have a $24.3 million budget and a levy of 10.008.
During the meeting, Bob Shaffer, president of the Northeast Johnson County Firefighters Local 1371, said a series of trends including inflation, aging equipment, building of more multi-family units and call volume that is up 35% has caused a strain on the district. “These trends are unsustainable moving forward,” he said.
Commissioners asked for a study session with the board of that district, with the possible offer of assistance in preparing the budget.
Go deeper: Here’s a link to the county’s 2026 budget.
