By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Higher property valuations around Kansas meant taxing entities had to decrease their mill levies to remain revenue neutral for the upcoming fiscal year. School boards have their hands tied, to a degree, by statute. Monday evening, the USD 428 Great Bend Board of Education approved the 2023-24 budget that will generate $810,000 more in tax revenue than the year before. Assistant Superintendent John Popp explained the statutory obligation to the board.
"You guys know we are mandated to do the 20 mills," he said. "The neutral tax rate would actually be 17.65 mills but the state requires us to do the full 20 mills. Just by that, we have to exceed the revenue-neutral rate."
The board did elect to raise the mill levy on supplemental general from 13.704 mills last year to 14.159 mills for the upcoming year. That will generate an additional $586,677 for the district compared to last year. In all, the district will exceed the revenue-neutral rate by 3.093 mills.
"Each mill we generate generates about $200,000 worth of property tax for us," Popp said. "The three mills is $596,949. Just as a comparison, our property casualty insurance went up $250,000 this last year just by itself, then the cost to cover our health insurance is going to be right around $400,000. All of this mill increase will be eaten up just in insurances."
In all, USD 428 will levy $7.543 million in taxes for the 2023-24 year, compared to $6.73 million last year, and $6.37 million in 2021-22.