The Garden City Telegram
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Tough choices: Higher taxes, fewer services - Cities, counties
Published 10/4/2008 in News : Politics
By MONICA SPRINGER
Cities and counties are feeling the pinch of a tight economy in the form of rocketing prices of gas and oil. That is about to trickle down to taxpayers as city councils and county commissions require more money to cover basic operating costs and maintenance on asphalt roads.
Mill levies increased in nine counties in southwest Kansas, including Finney, Gray, Stanton, Haskell, Hamilton, Kearny, Scott, Greeley and Grant. Mill levies also increased in most towns in those counties.
The mill levies decreased in Lane, Stevens and Wichita counties.
The biggest increase in mill levy was in Hamilton County, where taxpayers are going to pay the county $121.90 more than last year. The largest decrease in mill levy was in Lane County, where taxpayers are going to pay $121.34 less this year than they did last year.
There are numerous causes for the increase in taxes, most of which is the amount of money it takes to maintain roads keeps increasing, area city and county officials said.
Hamilton County commissioners were forced to cut $500,000 from the 2009 budget and cut two employees in the road department, county commissioner Randy Braddock said.
And the county has moved about 80 miles of road to the minimum maintenance list to limit the amount of asphalt the roads receive.
"Oil prices have an impact on maintenance projects, unfortunately," Braddock said. "Gas prices have made a serious impact."
The county had to limit or cut portions of the budget from all county departments, Braddock said. Hamilton County, like many other counties, saw a decrease in valuation. The $12 million decrease is mainly because of the depletion of the natural gas fields, Braddock said.
Most of the counties in western Kansas are facing the same type of problems: higher costs of oil and gas, not enough tax money to operate and a decrease in valuation.
Scott County does not have a lot of blacktop roads, but the county still is feeling the pinch when it comes to diesel fuel, said Jack Frick, Scott County commissioner.
The county also did not seal all the roads it wanted to this year because of the rising cost of materials.
Many city and county officials said the mill levy had to be raised in order to keep the same amount of services as years past to the community. The trash still has to be picked up and water still has to be pumped to cities.
"A lot of times we just look at it and make sure we're not going overboard," said Alan Wineinger, who is the mayor of Tribune. "We try to do what we can to get needs taken care of."
Good crops over the last couple of years have had a positive impact on Tribune, Wineinger said. Farmers use that money to fix and update homes and businesses within the city limits. Tribune's valuation increased more than $83,000.
There are other areas of concern for local governments. There are usually expenses that cities and counties can't predict, Frick said.
Forms of unknown expenses include the unfunded mandates handed down by the state and federal government. An example of this, Frick said, is going to cost the county $80,000. The Park Lane Nursing Home fire alarm has to be replaced with a sprinkler system because of regulation changes.
"Could those monies be better spent for patient care or equipment needs for parents?" Frick said. "It doesn't look like the most efficient use of our tax dollars for patient care."
City council and county commissioners are not the only ones feeling the squeeze of a tight economy. The state's budget gets tighter and often that trickles down to counties having to foot the bill.
Despite the extra load, local leaders are aware of what taxpayers want: more bang for their buck.
"Taxpayers have stepped up to needs and have supported us," Frick said. "We need to be responsible for them."
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