Sedgwick County has announced a proposed $563.4 million budget for 2025, with a total property tax levy of $199.5 million.
The property tax rate is approximately 28.659 mills, slightly lower than 2024 but it would exceed the revenue neutral rate of 26.784 mills for the second year in a row.
County Manager Tom Stolz says their organization will have a "structural imbalance", or deficit, of $1.4 million next year.
Commissioner David Dennis says candidates for his District 3 seat are being asked to pledge that if elected, they would vote to not exceed the revenue neutral rate, something that he says can't be done. If the county were to stay at the RNR in 2025, they would face a roughly $16 million budget cut.
Revenue neutral rate means the tax rate for the current tax year that would generate the same property tax revenue as levied the previous tax year using the current tax year's total assessed valuation.
The proposed 2025 budget would cut arts and culture by $1 million with a $210 thousand cut to Exploration Place. An $80,000 cut to KPTS is also proposed.
Taxpayers can voice their opinion on the budget at two public hearings scheduled for 6 p.m. on July 31 and 9 a.m. on August 21.