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Osage County budget draft sets proposed top rate; commissioners plan R&R hearing
Summary
A preliminary 2027 budget presented by consultant Sean Gordon would exceed the revenue-neutral rate; commissioners agreed to pick a proposed maximum mill levy next week and file a notice with the county clerk by the July 20 deadline to trigger required hearings and taxpayer notices.
A preliminary 2027 budget draft presented to the Osage County commissioners on July 7 would exceed the county’s revenue-neutral property-tax rate, and county staff recommended commissioners pick a proposed “top” mill levy next week so the clerk can issue notice and schedule a hearing.
Sean Gordon, the budget presenter, said the draft in the state budget form was based largely on department submissions and included a recommendation that is “a little over 2 mills over the r and r rate,” and he cautioned that some 2025 actuals in the form were best estimates. The draft aims to rebuild reserves while accounting for projected revenues such as sales tax and inmate-housing fees.
The commission’s discussion focused on cash reserves and revenue assumptions. Commissioners asked for more detail on department-level budgets and questioned some sales-tax and inmate-housing figures. Gordon said general-fund cash carryover and department inputs explain the difference between the budget’s total authority and projected receipts.
County legal and administrative staff explained the procedural deadlines: a notice of intent to exceed the revenue-neutral rate must be delivered to the county clerk by 5 p.m. on July 20. The clerk will then publish taxpayer notices; a hearing must be held between Aug. 20 and Sept. 20 and be published at least 10 days before the hearing. Commissioners may adopt any tax rate at the hearing up to the top rate published in the notice.
Commissioners asked staff to refine revenue estimates and run alternative mill-levy scenarios. One commissioner said he preferred to review more information and pick a number at next week’s meeting; another said the board should avoid waiting until the last day to act. Commissioners discussed holding a consolidated hearing for related local entities (for example, a sewer district budget) at the same time.
Next steps: staff will update the draft and provide commissioners with refined revenue and reserve numbers so the board can decide whether to file an R&R notice by July 20 and set a hearing date in August or September.
