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Goodland commission adopts 2026 budget, approves tax rate above revenue-neutral level
Summary
After public hearings, the Goodland City Commission approved the 2026 $16.6 million budget and a levy that exceeds the revenue-neutral rate; commissioners said restored items include demolition funding, roof repairs and a dog pound while citing rising insurance and operational costs.
The Goodland City Commission approved the 2026 city budget and a resolution authorizing a property tax levy that exceeds the revenue-neutral rate following two public hearings and public comment.
City Manager Kent told the commission that to meet the revenue-neutral rate staff would have had to cut roughly $489,000 from the proposed budget; the commission instead restored about $175,000 worth of items, including $50,000 toward demolition of a commercially blighted hotel, critical roof repairs for the police/armory building and the historical museum, set‑asides for equipment and funding to create a municipal dog pound. Kent said the total proposed budget across general, utilities and special funds is $16,601,759 and the proposed mill levy is 54.99 mills.
During public comment a resident raised concerns about rising property-tax bills, saying his taxes had jumped from about $2,500 when he moved to the area three years ago to more than $5,600 now and asked if increases would continue annually. The commission and staff attributed much of the year‑over‑year increase to factors outside the city’s direct control — including school levies, state components and higher insurance costs — and said they had cut repeatedly in past budgets and were constrained on further reductions without cutting services.
The presiding official moved to approve resolution 2025‑19 to exceed the revenue‑neutral rate; the motion was seconded and approved by roll call. The commission later moved to adopt the full 2026 budget and recorded a roll call vote in favor.
Why it matters: Approving the levy above the revenue‑neutral rate preserves critical one‑time and ongoing projects staff and commissioners said were necessary for public safety and facility upkeep but also sets the near‑term tax burden for property owners. The city noted rising insurance and operating costs were a major driver of the shortfall that made restoring certain items a priority.
Next steps: The budget and levy are effective for the 2026 tax year. The commission indicated it will continue monitoring insurance and utility cost pressures in future budget cycles.
