Board grants permission to notify county it may exceed revenue-neutral mill rate

Mister Busey presented the district’s revenue-neutral calculations and asked the board for permission to send a notice of intent to the Shawnee County Clerk to exceed the revenue-neutral mill rate for fiscal 2025–26.

Why it matters: Sending that notice preserves the district’s ability to set a mill levy above the revenue-neutral rate at public hearing; the step is an administrative prerequisite to the formal hearing and any subsequent adoption of a levy that would increase property taxes compared with a strictly revenue-neutral setting.

Busey explained key drivers: with appraised values rising, the revenue-neutral rate often falls; the district’s capital outlay was proposed at the full eight-mill allowable maximum to address building needs; bond-and-interest mills increased in part because the state aid percentage for bond payments (KSTE) declined from 65% to 61%, shifting more cost to local levy. He reviewed technical points on assessed valuation (residential assessed at 11.5% of appraised value; commercial at 25%) and noted that one mill collects $1 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Required process and deadlines were recited on the record: the notice must be sent to the county clerk this month to preserve the district’s timeline; public notices and website postings must appear for the statutory window (10 days) before the district holds a revenue-neutral hearing followed by a budget hearing. Busey said the board clerk and the district’s finance official must sign the notice, and he set a tentative public hearing date of Sept. 4.

Action taken: Board member (motion recorded) moved to grant permission to send the notice; Doctor Bonebrake seconded. The roll-call vote was opened, Doctor Beeson was marked not present, and the motion carried with all present voting yes.