MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Commission will hold public hearings Wednesday before considering adoption of a proposed $95.1 million budget for 2027.
The proposed budget totals $95,074,189, compared with $90,746,371 for 2026. It calls for approximately $30.85 million in property tax revenue, an increase of nearly $1.66 million, or 5.67%, from the current budget.
Despite the revenue increase, the proposed mill levy would decline slightly from 37.800 mills to 37.750 mills because the county’s estimated assessed valuation increased 5.74%.
The proposed levy remains higher than the county’s revenue-neutral rate of 35.704 mills. Revenue neutral means collecting the same amount of property tax revenue as the previous year, excluding new construction and other adjustments.
Agenda documents note that County Administrator Randy Partington said reaching the revenue-neutral rate would require approximately $1.67 million in additional cuts to property-tax-supported funds.
Commissioners will accept public comments before consideringthe revenue neutral rate resolution which would authorize the county to exceed the revenue-neutral rate. State law requires the resolution to be approved by a roll-call vote during the hearing and before the budget is adopted.
The proposed budget includes $964,874 in additional employee wages. Department personnel budgets include 4% for cost-of-living and performance-based increases. Each 1% salary increase for employees supported by property taxes costs an estimated $191,081.
The proposed budget would reduce staffing in property-tax-supported funds by 8.43 full-time-equivalent positions. Some of that change reflects employees being moved to different funding sources rather than eliminated.
The budget also includes five vehicles for the Reno County Sheriff’s Office: three police interceptor SUVs, a patrol truck and an administrative or detective vehicle. Commissioners removed two other vehicles totaling $60,000 during a previous budget study session.
Under the proposal, the general fund would retain about $4 million in cash reserves, equal to approximately 1.4 months of operating expenses. County officials noted that two months is the minimum recommended by the Government Finance Officers Association.
Following the county budget proceedings, commissioners will hold a separate hearing and consider adopting the 2027 budgets for Reno County’s fire, sewer and water districts.
None of the special district budgets would exceed their revenue-neutral rates. Property tax levies are proposed for Consolidated Fire District No. 1, Fire District No. 2, the Joint Fire District No. 2 Reno-Harvey bond and interest fund, and The Highlands sewer district bond and interest fund. Other county water and sewer districts are supported by user fees.
The commission may adopt the budgets as recommended or request changes and delay adoption until another meeting in September.
The Reno County Commission will meet at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9, in the Veterans Room of the Reno County Courthouse, 206 W. First Ave. in Hutchinson.