Sedgwick County Commissioners have voted to adopt a budget of $518.4 million for county operations in 2024, with a capital improvement budget of $29.5 million, and a Fire District 1 budget of $27.7 million.
The commission voted to make a slight reduction in the county’s property tax rate, from 29.370 mills to 29.003 mills, to provide some property tax relief. Commissioner David Dennis voiced a concern that this could put the county in the red in the future. Commissioner Jim Howell wanted to reduce the property tax levy by a half mill.
The mill levy reduction will reduce the tax increase for a $100,000 home by $4.25 a year, but that still leaves an increase of $22.79.
Commissioner Ryan Baty said there is not a lot that can be cut from the 2024 budget. He said nearly all of the budget that exceeds the revenue neutral rate will go to salaries, wages and compensation, and the county needs to stabilize its staffing to perform better government service. He said the opportunity in the future will be in reform, focusing on core service, “but what’s not core services we can consolidate, we can partner, we can collaborate better,” and the county can look at partnerships moving forward. Baty said the 2024 budget goal is to “protect taxpayers the best we can while still balancing our capacity to perform good government service, particularly in public safety.”
The budget was approved with a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Howell voting no.
