By Chad Frey
Newton Kansan
In a departure from the norm Harvey County has set a pair of budget hearings for the evening.
The commission will host a “Revenue Neutral Rate” hearing at 6 p.m. Aug. 20 in the community room of the Harvey County Courthouse, 800 N. Main. The county will also host a budget hearing, approval of the budget listed on the agenda.
In July the county commission approved setting a maximum tax rate for the 2025 budget during a June 16 meeting, one that would be an increase to taxpayers countywide.
The county commission set a maximum tax levy of $18.7 million with a proposed mill levy of 46.593 mills.
The difference is three mills, or about $51.75 on a $150,000 home. Should the mill levy remain at the maximum set by the commission, the county property tax bill on a $150,000 home would be about $803 per year.
During a work session the commission went through a proposed budget, and made changes to what was in that proposed budget.
The budget, as it stands now, would hire two new patrol deputies and one detention center deputy for the County Sheriff’s Office. The personnel line item in the Sheriff’s budget would increase about 11.7 percent, to just over $2 million a year.
Also increased in the current proposed budget is an increase to the road project fund.
The county was required to notify taxpayers of an intent to exceed the revenue neutral rate — spending more money than was spent in the current budget. Those notices were mailed last week.
Should the commission approve a budget that requires the full 46.593 mills, it would represent about a 3 mill increase in addition to increased property evaluations county-wide. Adjusted for TIF projects and funding, the total increase to the assesed value of property is estimated at 8.7 percent.
Keeping the revenue neutral rate would have led to a reduction in the mill levy rate of about three mills.
Also Aug. 20 the commission will meet at 9 a.m. for a regular meeting. Agenda items of that meeting will include plans for a renovation to the Pine Street building, a Health Harvey rewards program, a request for proposals for independent audit services, applications for the aviation commission and a discussion of the 2025 budget.