Augusta Messenger
Our mission is to inform the community on local issues including skyrocketing property taxes, community projects, elections, budgets, and voting of your elected officials. Also, to promote communications between elected officials and the taxpayers.
September 2023
"Shining The Light"
Previously when property valuations were increased your property taxes automatically increased-NOT ANYMORE!
In 2021, the legislature expanded Truth In Taxation for property taxes by establishing policy that local governments have to notify taxpayers and vote before they can collect a dollar more than the previous year, i.e. go above the Revenue Neutral Rate, sometimes referred to as Senate Bill (SB 13). It keeps the property taxes revenue neutral, the same as last year.
The Revenue Neutral Rate notice is a letter mailed by the County Clerk between August 20 and September 20, which includes the date, time, and location local governments will be voting on any proposed property tax increase. Property owners should show up at these meetings and be heard.
Tax Breakdown from Butler County20230907[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [433.5 KB]
Local elected officials have the power to stop these tax increases. They could freeze our taxes by simply voting to lower the mill levy by the same percentage as the property valuations increased. This is the Revenue Neutral Rate we have been talking about. This is the heart of Truth in Taxation! Do Not Be Fooled when you hear "We kept the same mlll levy, or lowered the mill levy." They still increased your taxes! The only way to keep from a tax increase is to use the Revenue Neutral Rate.
Truth to Taxation
Only works if we hold our elected officials accountable
when they ignore us and raise our taxes.
Official Summary of Property Taxes and Spending Increases for 2024 Budgets
City of Augusta Budget Hearing 9-5-2023
53.410 Mill Rate - Revenue Neutral Rate (No Property Tax Increase)
57.968 Mill Rate - Voted to RAISE Your Property Taxes -
Spending Increase $4,926,599 or 13.2%
Salary Increase 7%
Voting YES to Raise Property Tax and Spending Increase
Ron Reavis
Tom Leffler
Eric Birk
Bob Baily
Jeff Brown
Kip Richardson
Voting No To Raise Property Tax and Spending Increase
*Mike Martin
*Mike Huddleston
Augusta City Council Petition For Public Vote on Bonded Indebtendess
The Purpose of this Petition you are asked to Sign Kansas statute 10-308 limits the bonded indebtendess of cities to no more than 30% of their valuation. This limit may be exceeded by the city if the city first asks permission from the voters to exceed the limit.
The Augusta governing body (through home rule powers) changed the process from asking the voters for permission to authorizing the governing body the right to exceed 30% limit by their dicision without any public approval.
This petition is asking your approval for there to be a public vote so that the people may reject the governing board action and return to city being required to follow statute, thereby asking the people for permission to raise debt above 30%.
This Petition is Allowing the People to Exercise their power per the Kansas Constitution
Sign this petition then vote NO to return bond debt limit by the city to the people for approval.
The following believe that government should serve the people. They will be glad to provide a petition for your signature. Please contact only if you are a registered voter residing in the City of Augusta.
CALL: Myrna Rogers 316-882-3545
Gary Rogers 316-259-6346
Sue Jones 316-308-8619
Stop by Schneider Grain and ask for Matt or Karen
Butler County Budget Hearing 9/2/2023
28.798 Mill Rate Revenue Neutral Rate (No Property Tax Increase)
30.992 Mill Rate Voted to RAISE Your Property Taxes
Spending Increase 61,704.435 or 7.1%
Salary Increase for Commissoners 5%
Other Salary Increases
Voting Yes to Raise Property Tax and Increased Spending
Kelly Herzet
Marc Murphy
Jeff Materson
Darren Jackson
Dan Woydziak
USD 402 Augusta School District Budget Hearing 9/11/2023
54.652 Mill Rate Revenue Neutral Rate (No Property Tax Increase)
59.575 Mill Rate Voted to RAISE Your Property Taxes
Spending Increase $9,021,283 or 20%
Salary Increase 5.9%
Board Members Voting YES to Raise Property Tax and Increased Spending
Doug Law
Carey Lee
Amy Wells
Jim Brown
Angie Johnston
Susan Hostetter
Darrel Kohls
Butler County Community College Budget Hearing 9/12/2023
12.431 Mill Rate Revenue Neutral Rate (No Property Tax Increase)
Spending Increase 21,055,113 or 30.6%
Salary Increase 6%
Trustees Voting YES for Revenue Neutral Rate 12.431
To stay Revenue Neutral a cut of $178,479 was necessary
Mary Martha Good
Dave Sherrer
Forrest Rhodes
Linda Jolly
Trustees Voting YES For Lower Mill Rate 12.384 Below the 12.431 Revenue Neutral Rate
The cut of $228,138 was voted on by the three Trustees below.
*Shelby Smith
*Julie Winslow
*Kim Braungardt
***Please Note: All above information taken from published budgets, official minutes and websites.
2023 CANDIDATES FOR THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION
CITY OF AUGUSTA
AUGUSTA MAYOR:
Mike Rawlings ( 316-775-6818/316-775-3323)
AUGUSTA WARD 1:
Michael Martin (316-734-5500/316-775-7000)
Michael Lichlyter (no contact provided)
AUGUSTA WARD 2:
Michael Huddleston (316-775-3501)
Shane Scott (316-871-1095/316-201-1099)
AUGUSTA WARD 3:
Thomas Leffler (316-3994/316-775-9021)
Shawn Davis (316) 644-2120)
AUGUSTA WARD 4:
Jake Marr (316-641-9526)
Kimberly Williams (316-655-1806)
BUTLER COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
District 1: Position 1:
Julie Winslow (316-390-9090)
Aaron Huslig (316-733-6316/316-733-4886)
District 2: Position 2: (Augusta will vote for this position)
Shelby Smith (316-210-4343)
Deryk Riddle (316 650-9632/316-660-9043)
District 3: Position 3:
David Powell (316-641-2151/316-320-2091)
Forrest Rhodes Jr. (316-640-4728/316-291-9555)
AT-LARGE: (Augusta will vote for this position)
Mary Martha Good (316-655-6088)
George Bachman (316-305-5573)
USD 402 SCHOOL DISTRICT
AT-LARGE: (4 positions)
Douglas Law (316-258-5587)
Carey Lee (316-516-1891)
Amy Wells (316-640-8876)
Jim Brown (316-640-5753)
VOTE WISELY THIS NOVEMBER! THERE ARE 27 BUTLER COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIALS WITH CONTROL OF YOUR PERSONAL FINANCE CONCERNING HOW MUCH PROPERTY TAXES YOU PAY EVERY YEAR! 9 OUT OF THE 27 DEMOSTRATED EMPATHY FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, HOWEVER, 18 DID NOT! FIND SOMEONE TO WRITE-IN TO REPLACE THEM. THIS WILL TAKE A LARGE AMOUNT OF PROMOTION AND WORK, BUT CAN BE DONE. IN ORDER TO SECURE AFFORDABILITY FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY IN THE FUTURE YOU NEED TO VOTE AGAINST ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT INCREASE TAXES AND SPENDING
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