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Salina commission backs roughly 1‑mill increase to narrow $700K budget gap
Summary
After a multi‑hour budget study session, the Salina City Commission signaled consensus to move forward with a roughly 1‑mill increase to the city’s mill levy to help close an estimated $700,000 general‑fund shortfall. Staff said the increase would cut the gap to about $200,000; commissioners asked staff to publish the rate and set required hearings.
The Salina City Commission signaled consensus on July 13 to pursue a roughly 1‑mill increase in the city’s mill levy to help close an approximately $700,000 deficit in the 2027 general fund. City finance staff presented alternatives including staying at last year’s mill levy (28.568), a 1‑mill increase (29.568) and larger options; the 1‑mill option narrowed the projected shortfall to about $200,000.
“Using the prior year mill levy still leaves us about $700,000 behind,” City Manager Jacob Wood said during the study session and asked commissioners to weigh trade‑offs between tax increases and program cuts. Director of Finance Debbie Pack showed staff calculations indicating that roughly 6% growth in sales tax revenues would be needed to replace the one‑time accounting moves staff used to present the current budget position.
Commissioners discussed program priorities and the difficulty of relying on sales‑tax volatility to balance recurring expenses. One commissioner who addressed the meeting during the study session said they could “support the 1‑mill over current option” in light of recent storm‑related costs and ongoing service needs. Another commissioner described the step as modest for homeowners and necessary to maintain basic services.
The commission did not adopt a final ordinance that night but instructed staff to proceed with publishing a mill levy consistent with the 1‑mill approach and to return with the public‑hearing schedule required by the county’s property‑tax notice calendar. Staff noted the county publication deadline and the technical ability to reduce a published rate later if circumstances change, but emphasized the rule that once published the city cannot increase the published number.
The next procedural step: staff will publish the chosen rate with the county and bring formal ordinance language and hearing dates for adoption before the commission ahead of the statutory deadlines.
