By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
As Barton County prepares their budget for the next fiscal year, citizens remain hopeful for drops in the mill levy, or property tax.
Barton County dropped their tax rate by nearly two mills last year to just over 44 mills.
Barton County Commissioner Barb Esfeld said she’ll hear from constituents
wondering why their taxes went up despite the county lowering or keeping their
mill levy the same. There are many other taxing entities where citizens reside
that have an impact on the total mill levy.
"When we're setting the budget, we don't necessarily control all the other things," said Esfeld. "Those entities will do their own work. We only have say over the Barton County mill levy."
Fire districts, libraries, recreation commissions, Cottonwood Extension
District, cities, the college and other entities have their own mill levy
assessed to citizens.
Esfeld has been delighted to see sales tax revenue recently increase in the area.
Esfeld refers to the three-legged stool of government including property tax, sales
tax and income tax. The commissioner would like to see less emphasis on
property tax.
"We've known for years that the three-legged stool has been off balance with property tax being heavier," said Esfeld. "If we could lean toward income tax, along with the state funding more, that is where I would like to see that go. I feel like it would balance that stool out."
Last year’s overall mill levy for a Great Bend resident was more than 184
mills.