08/29/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/29/2024 13:39
The Johnson County Board of County Commissioners adopted a FY 2025 budget that maintains high quality services, invests in capital improvements and includes the reserves needed to protect the county's Triple AAA bond rating. The county achieved this and a .25 mill levy rollback, despite inflationary pressures, flattening revenue streams and a growing population creating more demand on services.
The adopted budget totals slightly more than $1.81 billion. It is made up of $1.37 billion in expenditures and $448.6 million in reserves. The Triple AAA bond ratings those reserves help us achieve translates into lower interest rates on Johnson County bond issues, saving taxpayers more than $27 million since 2011.
"I appreciate the robust public engagement with this year's budget process," said Chairman Mike Kelly. "The annual budget is the most important policy decision that the Board of County Commissioners makes annually, and I value those who lent their voices to shaping our priorities for the coming year. I'm proud that our budget maintains excellent public services and supports our aging and vulnerable residents. I look forward to continued efforts to balance our revenue sources, maintain a structurally sound budget, and provide relief to our taxpayers."
The 2025 budget continues ongoing efforts toalign with the Board's priorities and feedback from the county's annual community survey.
"This is a fiscally responsible budget that implements the Board's priorities, maintains outstanding public services and provides the high quality of life that our residents deserve," said County Manager Penny Postoak Ferguson. "We will continue to evaluate and develop multi-year fiscal solutions moving forward. I appreciate all of the hard work staff and the Board have done over the past several months on developing a sound budget despite a challenging financial landscape."
The FY 2025 budget includes an estimated total property tax levy of 24.086 mills. It is a 0.274 mill reduction from the current levy. After appeals to residential and commercial appraisals are finalized and the county calculates the final assessed value of all property, the mill levy is estimated to land at 24.110 (a 0.250 mill levy reduction for the county taxing district.)
This is the seventh mill levy reduction in eight years. Since 2017, the county has reduced the mill levy by 2.521 mills resulting in collecting, cumulatively, $39.5 million less in annual property tax. The Johnson County taxing district has had the lowest rate among the state's 105 counties for several years.In the county's continued efforts to retain and recruit county employees in a tight and competitive labor market, the budget includes a 3.5% merit pool and a 1% market increase for the county's pay table. The Sheriff's Office and MED-ACT step plans are also funded.
The budget includes 4,355.61 FTE (full-time equivalent) employees with new FTEs to include:
The 2025 budget's Capital Improvement Program totals $382 million with 65.3% involving wastewater projects, including ongoing improvements at the Nelson Wastewater Treatment Facility in Mission. Other CIP funding includes:
The final setting of the FY 2025 mill levy will be established by the end of October. Tax statements will include final mill levies for Johnson County's three taxing districts and all other local taxing entities, such as the state of Kansas, cities or school districts. Johnson County property owners will receive their tax statements after Nov. 1. The county's fiscal year begins on Jan. 1, 2025. More information is available at jocogov.org/budget.