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Atchison County resident warns of steep property-tax hikes; commissioners preview dedicated sales-tax measure for EMS
Summary
A resident told the county commission his property tax rose from $3,238.50 in 2018 to $5,879.54 in 2025 and asked what the county will do. Commissioners said a proposed dedicated sales tax on the Aug. primary would fund EMS and help reduce the property-tax burden; officials pledged budget "before and after" comparisons for voters.
A resident identified in the record as "Mister Williams" told the Atchison County Commission on Jan. 6 that his property tax bill rose from $3,238.50 in 2018 to $5,879.54 in 2025, saying that increase — which he described as roughly an 80% rise since 2018 and nearly 50% in the last four years — had residents worried, including retired neighbors who said they might move if the trend continued.
Commissioners acknowledged the pressure on property owners and described steps the county has taken and a planned ballot measure to shift some service costs off property tax. A presiding commissioner said 2026 will be the first year the county is "levying taxes to cover our services" after using cash reserves, and previewed a dedicated sales-tax initiative the commission plans to put before voters in the August primary intended specifically to fund emergency medical services (EMS).
According to remarks read into the record by county leadership, the sales-tax proposal would be a dedicated levy "only to EMS and rescue." County staff prepared a 10-year projection showing how sales-tax revenue would cover operating and capital needs for EMS, including vehicle replacement and other capital improvements. The commission said it reduced 11 county positions during the 2026 budget season to lower expenditures and will produce comparative budget materials showing what the 2027 budget would look like "with and without" the proposed sales tax so voters can see the effect on the mill levy.
"We're trying to find mechanisms," the presiding commissioner said, adding that commissioners recognize not all residents who use county services are property owners and that sales tax spreads the burden more widely. The same official read a note from the county appraiser indicating another residential value increase of 6%–10%, which the commission said will push assessed values and therefore property-tax bills higher absent revenue changes.
When asked about the sales-tax rate in the record, the presiding commissioner said it would be a "dedicated 11%," a figure cited in the meeting transcript. Commissioners also discussed messaging, agreeing the county should present voters with clear, comparative numbers that show property-tax impacts if the sales tax passes and if it does not.
Next steps announced to the public included preparing educational materials during 2026 and finalizing the ballot language and budget figures in time for the August primary. The commission said it would publish the comparative "before and after" budget views so residents can decide whether the sales-tax option better protects property taxpayers.
The commission subsequently moved through other business and did not take an immediate vote on the sales-tax measure at the Jan. 6 meeting.
