Cherokee County Commissioners Weigh $1.06 Million Property Tax Increase — Third Hike in Four Years
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COLUMBUS, KS — Cherokee County Commissioners are considering a 2027 budget that would raise property taxes on local homeowners, farmers, and businesses by nearly $1.06 million, according to a public notice reviewed as part of the county’s ongoing budget process.
If adopted, it would mark the third time in four years that the Board of Commissioners has set the county’s mill levy above the Revenue Neutral Rate — the rate that would bring in the same property tax revenue as the previous year — continuing a pattern local taxpayers have watched play out budget cycle after budget cycle.
The Numbers Behind the Increase
The county’s public notice sets the proposed 2027 property tax rate at 42.156 mills, up from 37.939 mills the year before. That’s an increase of 4.217 mills, or roughly 11.1 percent.
The notice confirms the new rate exceeds the Revenue Neutral Rate, meaning it is projected to generate more property tax revenue than last year even after accounting for changes in property values countywide.
At current assessed values, each mill generates approximately $251,823 in countywide property tax revenue. Multiplied across the proposed 4.217-mill increase, that works out to approximately $1.06 million in additional property taxes that would be paid by Cherokee County homeowners, farmers, and local businesses.
A Pattern Taxpayers Have Seen Before
The proposed increase would not be an isolated event. Cherokee County has set its mill levy above the Revenue Neutral Rate in two of the last three budget cycles. Should commissioners adopt the current proposal, it would mean the county has gone above the revenue-neutral level in three of the last four years to balance its budget — asking taxpayers to cover a growing share of the county’s spending each time.
For a household already contending with a rising cost of living, the proposed levy represents another direct hit to the family budget, layered on top of prior increases approved by the same Board of Commissioners.
The Board is expected to take up the 2027 budget and mill levy at its August 24 meeting. Residents can find more information on the proposed tax increase, including the public notice referenced above, ahead of the vote.