NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County Commissioner Ron Hirst said in a conversation with Hutch Post that the property tax portion the county receives is not a majority of what is assessed.
"The percentage that the county receives from ad valorem taxes, property taxes is about just under 22%," Hirst said. "About 46% give or take a percent or so is Hutch Juco and USD 308 and about 24%, it goes to the city itself and the rest are other items, Hutch's library and Hutch Rec and so forth. If you look at the city of South Hutch, it's just a little higher because their total mill levy is less than it is in Hutchinson. If you go out into different townships and so forth, our percentage the county gets will be higher because of the total mill levy and valuations."
The county is the one that does the appraisal, though that is based on state statute and they are the one that sends out the bill, but they don't get to keep even most of the money, and inflation is impacting government just like everywhere else.
"There's really not much government can do, and I've said this before a few times, but to provide the needed services, you either, as inflation eats into all of us, including our home budgets, you either have to decrease the services or decrease what you're doing at home," Hirst said. "You have to increase your revenue or you have to increase your tax base. And that's the, that's the method that is the most sound to me is to increase our tax base."
The Board of County Commissioners meets the second and fourth Wednesdays of every month at 9 a.m. at the Reno County Courthouse, and they have the option to meet the fifth Wednesday, when there is one, as they are doing in July.
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