Less than two months after a decision to cap property tax revenue, Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, commissioners passed budgets Thursday with significant cuts to city and county services that will take shape next year. Over the past two weeks, local government leaders identified roughly $15.4 million in spending to carve out. Reductions were necessary, according to top staffers, as costs will naturally rise to meet contractual obligations, employee cost-of-living raises and inflation. No public employees will be laid off or furloughed, according to county administration. Dollars were saved in large part through the reductions of unfilled positions, overtime, capital projects and some programs. Earlier this month, County Administrator David Johnston outlined a proposed budget that curtailed roughly $4.6 million in mostly personnel expenses for police, firefighters and sheriff’s deputies. He also warned commissioners there was no wiggle room, and any restorations of funding would require a decrease elsewhere. Other cuts include parks and recreation, which will see its operating budget scaled back by $750,000. Savings will come through reduced maintenance, including less frequent lawnmowing on publicly-owned property. The public works department is set up to see $790,000 in cuts from open jobs and fleet maintenance. And the Neighborhood Services Center will be cut by $620,000, raising concerns among area neighborhood leaders over volunteer and community service programs. Another item on the chopping block is public transportation. Federal COVID-19 pandemic relief funds will dry up next year, leaving a $2.4 million shortfall the Unified Government may close with the elimination of two bus routes run through the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority. The cuts are driven by a 9-0 decision commissioners made in June to adopt a so-called revenue neutral budget. In 2021, the state created new mandates for local governments that require a more extensive public engagement process whenever residents are expected to see any increase on their property tax bills. Residents have long been pressuring commissioners to do something about rising property taxes, including some who say they’re being taxed out of Wyandotte County. While tax rates have stayed largely flat, increases have been felt by homeowners as property values have risen substantially due in part to a housing shortage. Mayor Tyrone Garner, who has advocated for property tax relief throughout his first term, acknowledged Thursday the budget will not lead to a reduced cost for taxpayers. And he relied on a few words once famously delivered by former President John F. Kennedy during his 21 minutes of closing remarks on Thursday. “I have to challenge our residents as well when we talk about shared sacrifice,” the mayor said Thursday in a wide-ranging speech that touched on hopes for efficiencies in local government, an improved business climate and lower costs for residents overall. Other actions taken Thursday by commissioners concern the public utility bills residents will see next year. The Board of Public Utilities PILOT collection, or payments in lieu of taxes, will decrease from 11.9% to 10.9% for residential customers only. The rate will stay the same for commercial businesses and nonprofit organizations. Sewer increases are meant to address infrastructure investments needed to comply with the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s consent decree. The fee is set to rise by 4%. Trash collection will increase by $1.07 per month, totaling $19.01 per month, to meet step increases with the local government’s contract with private company Waste Management. The higher fee is also meant to keep other trash disposal programs run by the city and county government afloat.
Source: KC Star Local News
