By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Kansas schools can throw revenue neutral rates out the window. With increased valuations statewide and a statutory requirement to levy 20 mills for the general fund, districts are bound to collect more in taxes in 2024 than they did a year ago. Valuations in USD 428 Great Bend increased from $175 million in 2022 to $193 million in 2023. Superintendent Khris Thexton said that will impact the budget.
"In the past, we've kept very close to level as we go across there, but as your assessed valuation goes up, those mills generate more dollars. You can see last year we generated 41.595 total. This year, we're budgeting 42.159, which is 0.564 higher than the previous year mill rate."
The district will keep its general fund at the required 20 mills, and again ask for the maximum eight mills for capital outlay. The district is also asking for a supplemental general increase from 13.704 mills to 14.159 mills. Taxes levied to the district would increase from $6.7 million last year to $7.5 million this year.
Thexton said the district has used more than usual of its cash balance in the last two years with various large projects, maintaining facilities, and maintaining staff.
"With 700 employees, we're the biggest in the county," he said. "We represent quite a bit of our county as an employer."
At Monday's board meeting, $1.28 million was transferred from the bond fund established in 1998 to the general fund. Thexton said that will help replenish funds after the purchase of the former CUNA Mutual complex. Thexton and Board Member Deana Essmiller agreed capital outlay should be built back up over time. Essmiller compared it to a personal budget.
"We are not staying revenue neutral in our capital outlay, so we are going increase what we put in there from what we have been each year," she said. "We spent a lot of money the last two years out of our capital outlay, but I don't want us to be feeling like we need to hurry up and replenish our capital outlay because we spent it."
USD 428 will hold its revenue neutral and budget hearings ahead of its next regularly scheduled board meeting on Monday, Sept. 11.