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County administrator warns of tight 2027 budget and flags state tax bill risks
Summary
County Administrator Philip Smith Haynes presented a five‑year projection showing pressure on the 2027 general fund and road and bridge fund if one‑time special‑fund draws are not phased, and raised concerns about proposed state changes to property‑tax procedures in Senate sub for House Bill 2745.
Saline County's outgoing county administrator, Philip Smith Haynes, told commissioners on April 7 that the county faces a tight budget in fiscal 2027 if recent draws from special funds are fully restored in a single year and if salary trends continue. Haynes said the projection is based on five years of recent trends and cautioned the board to consider phasing restorations of special‑fund balances to avoid shortfalls.
Haynes summarized key drivers: a one‑time use of Fund 127 for contractual asphalt this year, a planned restoration of a mill levy component for special road construction and multi‑year salary increases that averaged more than 10% in recent years because of position additions in corrections. He said those choices will require the commission to make decisions during the 2027 budgeting process about whether to restore funds in a single year or phase them in.
Haynes also briefed the board on recent state legislative activity and its potential impact on county property‑tax processes. He described Senate sub for House Bill 2745 and the concern from county organizations that the bill as amended would require confusing notice timelines and could force budgets to be finalized before valuation notices are available. He told the commission: “As the legislation currently is written, the county clerk would still have to send out these notices that are confusing to everyone,” and warned that timing in the bill could disrupt local budget procedures.
Haynes said both the League of Municipalities and the Kansas Association of Counties had asked the governor to veto the bill; he noted the governor’s deadline to act was imminent and that the legislature could return for a veto‑override attempt. Commissioners acknowledged the briefing and thanked Haynes for the overview ahead of the transition to the new county administrator.
