County manager unveils 2026 recommended budget: mill levy down, more 9‑1‑1 staff and cuts to some decision packages

Sedgwick County Manager Tom Stoltz presented the recommended 2026 budget to the Board of County Commissioners on July 9, proposing a maximum county budget of $593,553,400, a property tax levy of $210,524,468 (approximately 27.881 mills, a 0.82‑mill reduction) and a package of staffing and program changes that aim to balance recurring obligations while investing in emergency communications and behavioral‑health supports.

Key highlights - Maximum budget and levy: the recommended maximum spending authority is $593,553,400 with a corresponding maximum levy equal to 27.881 mills (the county will publish the revenue‑neutral hearing notice and hold public hearings July 30 and Aug. 20). The recommended budget identifies the revenue‑neutral rate as 26.427 mills. The county will publish the notice to exceed the revenue‑neutral rate as required by state law. - Valuation capture and levy change: the plan captures 5.5% of the county’s assessed valuation growth (the county reported available growth of roughly 8.6%) and reduces the county mill levy by 0.82 mills; the fire district mill levy would drop 0.25 mills under the recommendation. - Staffing and public safety: the recommended budget would add 20 positions to emergency communications (911) to separate call‑taking from dispatch duties, a step county leaders said is aimed at improving service and pursuing accreditation; the sheriff’s office pay plan includes a 5% step for deputies, and most county employees are proposed to receive a market adjustment (3%) plus a 1% scale movement. - Behavioral health: seven engagement care specialists would be added using CCBHC (Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic) funding to expand wraparound services for mental health and homelessness responses. - Tradeoffs and cuts: to balance recurring costs the manager proposed reductions totaling roughly $2.2 million in the initial structural gap: conversion of some ComCare property‑funded items to other revenue sources, a reduced crime prevention / cultural/arts subsidy and a $10,000,000 cut of department decision packages submitted during budget requests. - Compensation math: staff estimated roughly $1.3 million in county property‑tax‑funded cost per 1% across the system; the budget document identifies about $10.3 million in total compensation adjustments across all funds in the recommended plan.

Why it matters Resources for public‑safety communications and behavioral health were top priorities in the commission’s budget discussions earlier this year; county leaders said the plan balances an effort to stabilize and retain staff with the board’s direction not to capture all available valuation growth. The board received and filed the recommendation and will consider changes through the public hearing and adoption process in August.

Next steps The recommended maximum budget will be published and the board will hold two public hearings (July 30 at 6 p.m. and August 20 at 9 a.m.). The commission can adopt changes during the August session and must finalize the budget in August.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this article are recorded in the meeting transcript.