The Bourbon County Commission August 25 meeting began with a public hearing regarding the county’s decision not to remain revenue neutral in the 2026 budget.
The public comment section of the hearing began with Angie Kimmer, a Fort Scott resident since 1998, when her property taxes were about $1300. In 2025 they will pay about $5,200.
“It’s a huge increase…if my husband didn’t work outside of the community we wouldn’t be able to afford our home,” she told the commission. “The solution can’t be to just raise the mill levy.”
“You’re going to tax people out of your community,” she said, comparing property taxes in Fort Scott to those in Navada. “I don’t know why anyone would choose to live here.”
She acknowledged that change within the county is needed, but expressed concern about trying to get money that isn’t there through higher taxes
Mr. Kimmer also spoke, saying that the block they live on has improved, but they haven’t made major improvements to account for the jump in valuation.
“I want to make my house just as pleasant looking as anybody else, but raising property taxes isn’t going to help,” said Debbie Buckley, who moved to Fort Scott last year. She expressed the desire to improve her home, but questioned the affordability of such a decision in light of increasing taxes due to higher property valuations.
Jim Hollisy said that everyone’s property values went up last year, and the county gave raises. He said they need to consider lowering the benefits and the amount of money the county gives to entities throughout the county.
“It’s going to get worse,” he said of the shrinking population of Bourbon County, if they don’t change their tactics. He said taxes are also going up elsewhere, but not as much as in Bourbon County.
County Clerk Susan Walker asked to address the misconception about the Revenue Neutral Rate (RNR) statement. She said it sets the maximum levy for all entities, but, “That doesn’t mean that’s where your levies are going to end up.”
She said that the Fort Scott Recreation Commission received a beating on social media because they format their budget document differently than other entities, which made it appear that they would tax at their maximum allowable amount, but they are only increasing by about a half a mill over last year.
The RNR statement limits the highest rate that any taxing entity can go. These entities are not all Bourbon County proper. The county doesn’t control everybody’s budget.
Bourbon County Counselor Bob Johnson said the county tax on a particular piece of property is only 30% of the total property tax collected. The rest is the state, community college, and other entities.
Walker also said that sending the statements costs the county $12,000 in addition to the cost of publishing it in the paper. This time the cost is reimbursed by the state, but that may not always be the case. She suggested voters reach out to their legislators about doubling up on the work and cost as the state has required.
Joyce Flanner, a 50 year resident of Bourbon County, said that because of the increase in taxes and valuation on a home she paid off years ago, she has had to postpone her retirement to be able to pay her tax bill. That bill has gone from $1800 eight years ago to $3400 this year. She acknowledged that the county is not responsible for all of it.
After Flanner, no further citizens chose to speak and the hearing was closed. Then the commissioners gave their comments.
Commissioner Samuel Tran said he has spent weeks analyzing the increased cost of housing and identifies with those who spoke. He is a four-year resident of Bourbon County, and his taxes have gone up each year.
“This is not a Bourbon County issue. This is an issue with our nation,” he said. People are being priced out of their homes and the ability to retire.
He said that if the county doesn’t increase taxes, services will be cut. “We need to lobby our legislators,” he said.
“I need to figure out how to fix this or at least soften the blow,” he said. “Hopefully, what we do here tonight will help out the vast majority of the people in the county. I promise you it will not help out all of you,” but he needs to take care of the majority.
Commissioner Mika Milburn reiterated that not going revenue neutral does not mean the commission is raising the mill, it means they aren’t lowering the mill to adjust for the increase in valuation of properties. That increase in revenue is going to go toward an increase in employee benefits and insurance costs as well as other costs beyond the county’s control.
She doesn’t want to increase the mill but let the valuations compensate for the costs.
Commissioner David Beerbower had high hopes of lowering the mill when he ran for office, and of making Bourbon County a lower property tax county.
Since taking office, two commissioners have resigned and there’s been a great deal of turnover in the county’s departments.
They are now trying to make up for previous year’s high spending which has caused the county’s cash reserves to be depleted.
“We need a strategic plan, and we needed it yesterday,” he said. We can’t continue with the same old, same old.
You either raise taxes or cut services, he said. It may be in 2027 that we have to look at cutting services.
Milburn thanked the City of Fort Scott for working with the county on 911 services, because if not for that, “we would be raising the mill, for certain.” She also said that they would continue to work to reduce the budget and encouraged the audience to keep coming to hearings and meetings and telling the commission not to increase the mill.
“If things go the way I hope they go tonight, I am going to push the five of us to come up with a strategic plan,” said Tran of the future County Commission. He said they owe the people of this county that plan. Taxes will go up, but the citizens need to have faith that the money will be spent beneficially for the county.
He thanked those who worked on the budget, including the City of Fort Scott and elected officials, and the budget advisory committee.
Milburn read the motion to approve to exceed RNR. The resolution does not set the mill, but allows the county to raise the rate.
The commission then set the Budget Hearing for Sept. 15 with the publication date of September 3. They also set a special meeting for Aug. 29 at 4 p.m.