Whatever happens with the property tax lid provision in Topeka on Friday, Riley County commissioner Robert Boyd isn’t too concerned about it.
He thinks the commission should craft the county budget as it’s usually done and not worry about what is or isn’t an exception to the tax lid.
“I’m more of a ‘it’s easier to seek forgiveness than ask for permission’ type of guy,” he said during Thursday morning’s meeting. “I don’t care how the state interprets it. Let’s go forward and do the best job with our hearts pure and move on.
“If they take exception to us, fine.”
“We’ll take our lumps,” Commissioner Ron Wells added.
The provision, which was a late add-on to the state’s much criticized budget bill a few weeks ago, requires county and city governments to hold special elections on property taxes if they exceed the rate of inflation – even though commissioners said that’s a normal circumstance among local governments across the state.
At the moment, the lid is set to go into effect July 1 – that is if legislators don’t postpone it till the 2018 budget year on Friday for the formal finalization of the state’s tax deal in Topeka.
But, as local leaders have fumed the past couple weeks, the provision – whether it starts in July or later – sets a nearly impossible time line for elections on the property tax question.
Local governments often don’t get property tax valuations to base their budgets on until mid-summer and budgets must be finalized by early August.
Boyd’s comments came after county Budget and Finance Officer Johnette Shepek told commissioners she’s been looking into both outcomes of the provision’s effective date and what exemptions to it the county’s budget would fall into.
“It leaves the door wide open for all Kansas municipalities as far as what is the total definition and interpretation of those exemptions,” she said. “And how do you even go to calculate those.”
With the county right in the middle of its own budget formation, Boyd said he’d rather her focus on that.
“I find your time is extremely valuable to us, Johnette,” he said. “To spend a lot of time on those exemptions is probably not the best at this point in time.”
Shepek is preparing for a July 1 effective date of the provision, though.
“Just so you know, I’m working on it,” she said.
Boyd said the commissioners would take the brunt, though, of whatever happens.
“I understand,” he replied to Shepek. “We will take the heat for that kind of stuff. If we determine what is or what isn’t (an exemption), let (the state) come back at us.”
County Clerk Rich Vargo said ultimately he’d be in the cross-hairs by the state, though.
“A lot of (the provision) is open to interpretation and very vague,” he said. “The state said they’ll make the clerk responsible, ultimately, for the cities and counties, because we certify the budget.”
“That’s perfect,” Boyd joked.
“So, we’ll work with the commissioners,” he said. “And I’m not of a different philosophy than Bob has mentioned.
“If we have to adjust after Friday we will.”
