Today, the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners set the maximum proposed FY 2025 budget at just over $1.81 billion. It includes $1.37 billion in expenditures and $448.6 million in reserves.

“This budget maintains the world-class services our residents value, invests in the high-performing workforce required to serve this community and preserves reserves needed to protect our Triple AAA bond rating and get the lowest interest rates when issuing debt for major projects,” said BOCC Chairman Mike Kelly. “I’m proud we can do so despite inflationary pressures, a growing population with increased needs and flattening revenue streams.”

The proposed budget includes an estimated 24.086 mills (a 0.274 mill levy reduction). After appeals to residential and commercial appraisals are finalized and the county calculates the final assessed value of all property, the mill levy is estimated to land at 24.110 (a 0.250 mill levy reduction for the county taxing district.)

More detail on today’s BOCC action

The BOCC voted to set the maximum proposed 2025 budget at $1,818,969,438, for legal publication. From this point, commissioners cannot increase the amount, but they can reduce it.

Today’s action provided official notification of the county’s intent to exceed the Revenue Neutral Rate in the county, Johnson County Library and Johnson County Park and Recreation District taxing districts. It also officially set the public hearing on the proposed budget (which also serves as the Revenue Neutral Rate hearing required by the state of Kansas) for Aug. 20.

“Today’s action was not the final budget vote. During this entire process, we welcome the public’s input and encourage residents to attend the public hearing in person or watch the livestream,” said Chairman Kelly.

The county held four budget open houses where residents could learn about the proposed budget, ask questions and provide feedback. Budget information was also available at the county’s Juneteenth event on June 19. More information on those events and the feedback residents provided will be shared at the Aug. 20 budget public hearing.

Revisions to the budget since it was proposed by the county manager in May

Full details on the county manager’s proposed budget are available here. In the weeks following County Manager Penny Postoak Ferguson’s presentation to the BOCC on May 23, the Board heard from departments, agencies and offices. Based on what they heard, commissioners on June 20 made these additions to the proposed budget:

• Authorized $10,000 in existing budget funds (no new funding for FY 2025) for body cameras for MED-ACT tactical team staff.
• Utilized $73,000 in savings from the Appraiser’s Office (no additional FTE for FY 2025) towards a new Community Behavioral Heath Team member for Johnson County Developmental Supports.
• Allocated $144,000 in one-time funding from reserves (no new funding for FY 2025) for Aging and Human Services for utility assistance.
• Transferred $245,000 from other project savings to add one-time funding for energy efficiencies measures.
• Authorized the use of grant funds totaling $250,000 for food and in-home services

“The annual budget process takes several months of complex work from county budget staff and leaders from across the organization,” said County Manager Penny Postoak Ferguson. “I appreciate all of the hard work staff and the Board have done on this budget that maintains or, in a few cases, enhances services provided to our community despite a challenging financial landscape.”

Next steps

• The proposed FY 2025 Budget public hearing and revenue neutral rate hearing, including opportunities for public comments, will take place at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20, in the Board’s hearing room on the third floor of the Johnson County Administration Building, 111 South Cherry St., in downtown Olathe (east entrance.)
• The BOCC is scheduled to adopt the 2025 budget on Thursday, Aug. 29, in the Board’s hearing room.
• The final setting of the FY 2025 mill levy will be established by the end of October.
• Johnson County property owners will receive their 2025 tax statements after Nov. 1.

Details about the county’s FY 2025 proposed budget, current and previous budgets, and budget process are available at jocogov.org/budget.