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 with Revenue Neutral Rates
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

City of Augusta Petition
bondpetition001 (1).pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [344.3 KB]

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

Print | Sitemap
"Shining Light of Augusta"