Kansas Municipal News
Kansas Senate says yes to state park in Iola
A proposal to create a new state park in Iola took another big step forward Thursday when Kansas senators voted overwhelmingly in favor of what would become Lehigh Portland State Park. The Senate’s passage means the bill goes back to the Kansas House of Representatives — perhaps as early as Thursday evening — for a final vote before the measure would go to Gov. Laura Kelly. The Senate’s bill differed slightly from a similar bill approved previously by the House in that it was combined with another bill granting free permanent hunting and fishing licenses to disabled veterans. Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker, was among those who voted with the majority in the 35-5 tally.
Source: The Iola Register
Kansas Legislature packages new flat tax rate with quicker end to food tax
Kansas lawmakers passed a tax cut package in the early Friday morning hours that fuses a flat tax rate for individual income with an accelerated reduction in the state sales tax on food, corporate tax breaks and residential property tax relief. The policies assembled into Senate Bill 169 add up to $1.3 billion in decreased state tax collections over the next three years, with more than half of the cost associated with the flat tax. The bill eliminates the sales tax on food at the start of next year. “To me, it’s always a priority to get it back to taxpayers instead of growing government, and that’s that this bill does, and it does it very nicely,” said Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican who chairs the Senate tax committee. “It considers everybody, from low income tax to everybody.”
Source: The Lawrence Times
Progress continues on Justice Center in Great Bend
The City of Great Bend’s new Justice Center slated for completion in August and the long-standing Expo I and II buildings that were just transferred to city ownership by the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce are on the forefront for city officials. As for the Justice Center at 12th and Baker, it is starting to take shape, both inside and out, Interim City Administrator Logan Burns said. The brickwork around the entrance area is underway and window installation will start Monday.
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Property taxes climb 3.6% across U.S. to $339.8 billion
Property taxes levied on single-family homes in the United States increased 3.6% to $339.8 billion in 2022, according to a new report from a real estate data firm. That’s up from $328 billion in 2021. The 2022 increase was more than double the 1.6% growth in 2021, but smaller than the 5.4% increase in 2020, according to the report from ATTOM, a property data provider. The report also shows that the average tax on single-family homes in the U.S. increased 3% in 2022, to $3,901, after rising 1.8% in 2021. The latest average tax resulted in an effective tax rate nationwide of 0.83%. That was down slightly from 0.86% in 2021 to the lowest point since at least 2016.
Source: Derby Informer | News
With the Ogallala Aquifer drying up, Kansas considers limits to crop irrigation
The Ogallala Aquifer has a visibility problem. It’s easy to see when drought, farm irrigation and city taps drain the great reservoirs of the Southwest. Bathtub rings paint the red rock walls surrounding Lake Powell as it shrinks, sounding alarm bells loud and clear. What about a body of water that’s locked away in a subterranean labyrinth of gravel and rock reaching more than 300 feet underground? The Ogallala may hold as much water as Lake Huron, but we can’t see it. And, problematically, that means we can’t see it disappear.
Source: Wichita Eagle
Leawood proposes using federal funds to build pickleball courts
Leawood is considering whether to use federal COVID-19 relief funds to pay for more pickleball courts for public use. The Leawood City Council in a Monday work session reviewed multiple city projects — including installation of new pickleball courts — for which the city wants to pay with funds earmarked for its use from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Prairie Village is 2nd JoCo city to adopt antisemitism measure
Prairie Village is now the second Johnson County city to adopt a resolution formally defining antisemitism in response to an ongoing uptick in reported instances of antisemitic hate both nationally and around the Kansas City region. Leawood is the only other Johnson County city currently with such a resolution on the books, which uses the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism as a means for guiding public response to any potential acts of hate.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Meet Doug Gerber, Shawnee’s new city manager
Doug Gerber, a long-time municipal government administrator with Kansas roots, is Shawnee’s new city manager. Gerber, whose hiring was approved in February by an unanimous city council vote, was formally sworn in last week. His path to becoming a city manager wasn’t always a clear one. As a junior at Kansas State University, he was a chemistry major. Each day, he went to labs, and Gerber found he actually hated it. On a whim, he decided to take an introduction to public administration course, discovering a new path.
Source: Prairie Village Post
Prairie Village adds money to property tax rebate program
A few more Prairie Village residents could get some relief on their city property taxes. The Prairie Village City Council last week approved adding $5,000 more to its property tax rebate program fund, bringing the 2023 funding total to just over $30,000. The program, which began during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to ease the burden on the most cash-strapped property owners, reimburses eligible residents for 100% of the Prairie Village portion of their annual property tax bill.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
Municipal Bond Trends for April 6, 2023
The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS “investment grade” yields. Every issuer’s credit is different, and other financing sources may be available. To obtain comprehensive Financial Advisory services for your local government, contact your Ranson Financial Municipal Advisor, Larry Kleeman, Beth Warren or Henry Schmidt.
Gant retires after 39 years of service to Seward County Sheriff’s office
The Seward County Sheriff’s office said goodbye to one of its own Friday afternoon. Capt. Rob Gant began working with the sheriff’s office in 1984, and Friday, county staff, local law enforcement, family and friends gathered in the commission chambers in the Administration Building for a reception for the long-time officer. Before Gant was given a few presents for his retirement, Sheriff Gene Ward recalled he and Gant’s early days in law enforcement.
Source: Liberal First
City of Gas residents register few complaints
A community conversational at Gas offered a look at the benefits of living in the small community, with few complaints. It’s a neighborly community, residents said. There’s much to appreciate about living in Gas, a handful of residents agreed Tuesday evening. And in a refreshing look at its citizenry, few had much to complain about, either. Perhaps some residents can be a bit more diligent in keeping junk and trash out of their yard, but for the most part, residents here are polite, friendly, and clean, locals Larry and Shirley Robertson agreed.
Source: Iola Register
Derby weighs tax burden in discussing future sales tax use
What comes next with the Derby Difference sales tax? That is the pressing question the Derby City Council began to tackle at its March 28 meeting, discussing potential next steps toward implementing a new city sales tax with the Derby Difference coming to an end. Following the results received from a community survey, City Manager Kiel Mangus brought forth a few items for the council to chew on at its latest meeting, including election options and rates with the new sales tax to potentially go into effect in 2025. The Derby Difference is scheduled to sunset on Dec. 31, 2024.
Source: Derby Informer | News
Derby adjusts policy for financing public improvements
In an effort to more equitably spread out costs for public improvements such as streets, sewer improvements, etc. – the Derby City Council looked at and approved a new policy resolution at its March 28 meeting. Last updated in 2016, Assistant City Manager for Development Dan Squires presented the adjusted public improvement financing policy on March 28. The policy specifics financial guarantees from developers, the term of special assessment taxes (which help recover part or all of the costs of public improvements) and the cost split between the city-at-large and the developer/benefitting properties. … Squires pointed out the current policy is good at addressing routine subdivision projects (streets, water lines, etc.), but doesn’t really touch on regional infrastructure – such as lift stations and interceptor sewers. … With such hefty price tags (as construction costs continue to increase) and an eye on balancing feasible development with more affordable housing, updates in the policy included a 75/25 split for projects such as regional sewers, lift stations, bridges, etc. The larger portion would fall to city, with 25% left to be assessed to current and future developments.
Source: Derby Informer | News
Barton County OKs more facade grants
Another set of Barton County Facade Improvement Grant applications were approved by the County Commission Wednesday morning as commissioners harked back on a program that has become a popular one. “We were right in the middle of COVID,” said commission Chairman Shawn Hutchinson, District 3. “The federal government decided that they wanted to give us a whole pot of money. We had to figure out how to redistribute that throughout the county.” They conceived a way to utilize some of the funds to “reinvest it into our main street business owners. “What better way to have a lasting impact on our communities than invest in those that are stepping up and trying to make a difference in our community.”
Source: Great Bend Tribune
Hillsboro approves chickens and secure dogs
A proposed new Hillsboro dog ordinance will be considered April 18. The ordinance would change the definition of “securing” a dog in the open bed of a truck. The proposed ordinance also would change who designates a dog to be “dangerous.” Under current ordinance, the designation is made by police, but the proposal changes that to municipal court. … An ordinance to permit chickens to be kept in town was approved. Residents to keep as many as 10 chickens on a lot of less than 15,000 square feet and one additional chicken for each additional 1,000 square feet. They would have to be kept in clean, dry, and sanitary coops.
Source: HILLSBORO Star-Journal
Marion County firefighters battle more than 2 dozen wildfires
County firefighters were kept unusually busy during this past week fighting blazes in dry conditions and high winds. In all, they battled 24 fires through the week, with no fires reported only one day. Many of the fires had rekindled after controlled burns.
Source: HILLSBORO Star-Journal
With the Ogallala Aquifer drying up, Kansas ponders limits to irrigation
The Ogallala Aquifer has a visibility problem. It’s easy to see when drought, farm irrigation and city taps drain the great reservoirs of the Southwest. Bathtub rings paint the red rock walls surrounding Lake Powell as it shrinks, sounding alarm bells loud and clear. What about a body of water that’s locked away in a subterranean labyrinth of gravel and rock reaching more than 300 feet underground? The Ogallala may hold as much water as Lake Huron, but we can’t see it. And, problematically, that means we can’t see it disappear. That hasn’t stopped people like Brownie Wilson from trying to bring the aquifer’s decline into focus. He’s one of the Kansas Geological Survey crew members who fan out across western and central Kansas every year to check hundreds of water wells that tap into the Ogallala.
Source: KAKE – News
Kansas Senate passes constitutional amendment restraining property tax valuations
The resolution asks voters to consider a constitutional prohibition on counties raising property tax valuations by more than 4% in any year. … Lawmakers have considered ways throughout the session to address rising property values and the tax bills associated with them. The proposed constitutional amendment would limit tax-assessed property values from growing by more than 4% per year. There are exceptions for new construction, changes in property class or when property is transferred to another owner.
Source: Kansas Reflector
Fire department evacuated residents in north McPherson due to gas leak
The McPherson Fire Department (MFD) evacuated residents on the north side of McPherson due to a gas leak Wednesday night. “Crews on scene for a gas leak,” the MFD said in a Facebook post. “Several residents have been evacuated.” The MFD says they received a call around 7:20 p.m. for the report of a gas leak in a residential area near the intersection of Oakmont Street and Oak Park Drive. McPherson Fire Department Chief TJ Wyssmann said six homes were evacuated.
Source: KSN-TV