Expensive status quo
Steve Sauder
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
HERE ARE SOME FACTS about taxes in Lyon County as they compare to 9 other counties that have First Class Cities located in them. The cities are much like Emporia — Ark City, Dodge City, Garden City, Great Bend, Winfield, El Dorado, Liberal, McPherson and Pittsburg .
I discovered some interesting facts.
Lyon County’s mill levy of 51.046 was not only the highest by nearly 14 mills over second place Ford County; it was over 15 mills higher than the average of the 10. Why is Lyon County’s mill levy so high compared to the other counties? Maybe you suggest it’s because our city or school mill levies are low? Not the case. Emporia’s city mill levy at 41.258 is slightly below average in this comparison. Average for the 10 cities was 44.79.
Same result with the “other” tax category which is almost totally school district taxes. The Lyon County school levy eighth lowest out of 10 compared. Our Lyon County levy of 51.2 mills is higher than average by 29 percent and no one seems to know why!
Here’s a final piece of information for your consideration. In the year 2000 Lyon County levied $7,258,587 in taxes. Six years later Lyon County levied $11,535,904 in taxes. That’s an increase in taxes levied by Lyon County of over $4.2 million or nearly 59 percent in just six years.
Do you have any idea where that extra $4.2 million is being spent?
Maybe those proposed changes in our county government are needed?
Think about it. Can we afford the status quo?