MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
Reno County Explains Revenue Neutral Rate Notices Mailed to Property Owners
RENO COUNTY — Reno County officials are reminding property owners that Revenue Neutral Rate notices arriving in the mail are estimates intended to provide information about proposed property tax collections and are not tax bills.
Kansas law has required the notices since 2022. They are mailed annually to notify property owners of proposed budgets for taxing subdivisions that affect their property, including the county, cities and school districts.
The Revenue Neutral Rate, or RNR, is the mill levy rate that would generate the same amount of property tax revenue for a taxing entity as the previous year, based on the current year's estimated assessed property values.
Reno County has provided a guide to help residents understand the information included on their notices.
The top portion of the notice provides information about a property's classification and compares current and previous appraised and assessed values. Officials note that an increase in property value does not automatically mean property taxes will increase. Property values determine an individual property owner's share of taxes, while budgets determine the total amount collected by taxing entities.
The center portion provides current-year tax estimates. Information includes the 2025 mill levy and taxes paid, the Revenue Neutral Rate, proposed tax revenue for 2026 and the estimated dollar and percentage change from the previous year.
The estimates are based on proposed maximum budgets for 2027, which will be funded through property taxes collected in 2026. Those budgets will not receive final approval until after required public hearings.
If a taxing entity proposes collecting more property tax revenue than it did the previous year, it is considered to be exceeding the Revenue Neutral Rate and must hold a public hearing. The date, time and location of applicable hearings are included on the notice.
A mill represents $1 in property tax for every $1,000 of assessed value.
Reno County emphasized that the amounts listed on the RNR notices are estimates and may not match the final property tax bill.
Property taxes will be calculated Nov. 1, and the actual amount owed could increase or decrease from the estimates contained in the notice. Property tax statements will be issued later in November.
Residents with questions about a proposed budget or tax change are encouraged to contact the taxing subdivision responsible for that portion of their notice or attend its Revenue Neutral Rate hearing.