Kansas City Star Logo

Property tax increase approved to help financially struggling Johnson County fire district | The Kansas City Star

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Customer Service
    • Newsletters
  • Obituaries

    • All News
    • Local news
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • The Buzz
    • Nation & World
    • 913
    • Cass County
    • Lee's Summit
    • Video
    • Photos
    • All Sports
    • Chiefs
    • Royals
    • Royals photos
    • Sporting KC
    • Olympics
    • Kansas
    • Missouri
    • K-State
    • High School
    • Scores & Stats
    • NASCAR
    • Outdoors
    • NBA
    • Buy Tickets
    • Blogs & Columns
    • The Full 90
    • Campus Corner
    • For Pete's Sake
    • Sam Mellinger
    • Vahe Gregorian
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • The Missouri Influencer Series
    • All Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Colleen Nelson
    • Derek Donovan
    • Dave Helling
    • Melinda Henneberger
    • Steve Kraske
    • Toriano Porter
    • Guest commentary
    • Syndicated columnists
    • Submit a Letter
    • Entertainment
    • Ink
    • Events
    • Arts & Culture
    • Music
    • Comics
    • Stargazing
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Movies
    • Horoscopes
    • Arts
    • TV
    • Restaurants
    • Books
    • Star TV listings
    • All Business
    • Cityscape
    • Development
    • Workplace
    • Personal Finance
    • National/International
    • Technology
    • Kids & Money
    • All Living
    • Chow Town
    • Eat & Drink
    • House & Home
    • KC Gardens
    • Advice columns
    • Faith
    • Travel
    • Family

    • True Blue app
    • Red Zone Extra
    • Star news apps
    • Extra Time KC

  • Cars
  • Contests
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Homes
    • Place an ad
    • All Classifieds
  • Spaces
  • KC Weddings

  • Contact us
  • Mobile & Apps

Joco 913

Property tax increase approved to help financially struggling Johnson County fire district

By Roxie Hammill

Special to The Star

    ORDER REPRINT →

August 09, 2016 10:56 AM

Residents and businesses in the northwest Johnson County and De Soto will see an increase in their property taxes next year so the Northwest Consolidated Fire District can get on its financial feet and begin to replace aging equipment.

The Johnson County commission approved a 2.99-mill increase for the area, bringing its total levy to 21 mills. That’s a 16 percent increase over last year.

Chief Mike Whim said the increase, which was the only one among the four county fire districts this year, will enable the struggling, mostly rural district to start building its reserves and replace what he said is some of the oldest equipment in the area. He also plans to add three firefighters so that there are enough people to cover if someone gets sick.

The county commission approved the final budgets for all of the fire districts Thursday. Tax rates remained flat for Fire Districts 2, serving southern Johnson County and a bit of Miami County, and Consolidated Fire District 2, serving smaller cities in the northeast part of the county that don’t have their own fire departments.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The Kansas City Star

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

Most residents of Fire District 1 in the southwest will see a 0.481 mill drop in their tax rates. That district recently consolidated with Gardner, which had been contracting for fire coverage. Gardner residents will pay more in taxes than they did under the city contract.

For homeowners in Northwest Consolidated, Whim put the impact at $35 per year for the owner of a $100,000 home, $70 a year for a $200,000 home and $103 a year for a $300,000 home.

“I don’t want to have to rely on tax dollars. I struggle to boost taxes like that,” Whim said, adding that he hopes to save money by continuing to look for regional grants.

Northwest Consolidated has been struggling for years, in part due to a statutory limit on its mill levy rate of 15 percent dating to the district’s beginnings. In 2010, the tax rate was 10 mills, but by 2015 it had reached the limit. After the legislature removed the cap, the rate went to 18 mills in the 2016 budget.

Walter McDaniel, chairman of Northwest Consolidated’s board, told commissioners, “We see that this is a big request, but we can’t buy anything if we don’t have any money.” He said he has received support from residents and the De Soto City Council.

Whim said the district wants to replace the department’s self-contained breathing apparatus, which is 15 years old, as well as some other firefighting equipment that is 25 years old. “These are not wants, but needs,” he told commissioners.

The fire district budgets have been controversial among commission members in past years because of the tax rate increases. The districts’ budgets are written by their governing boards, but the county commission has final approval.

Because of concerns about the sustainability of the county fire districts, the commission has announced plans to hire a consultant to find ways the districts can save money. That idea had detractors on the board — Commissioner John Toplikar said it amounted to overreach into the decisions of the boards and Chairman Ed Eilert said the same thing could be accomplished with a working relationship between the districts and the commission.

Commissioner Steve Klika said the push for a consultant was one reason he voted to approve the fire district budgets.

“You’ve been under the gun in trying to change the direction of the Northwest Consolidated Fire District,” he told Whim. “I cringe over such a large mill increase.” But Klika said earlier that although in the past he has hesitated to support fire district tax rate increases without discussions on cost savings, he now sees things moving in the right direction.

Whim hopes the increase will be the beginning of better budget planning for the fire district. “This … absolutely lays the foundation for the future for us,” he said. “Before we just didn’t have plans in place for reserves for the big ticket items.”

Those sentiments were echoed by McDaniel. “Hopefully we won’t have to come back next year and ask for anything if our projections are right, and I think they are.”

Historical Society

In other action, the commission made changes that will allow the Overland Park Historical Society to occupy space in the new Arts and Heritage Center at the former King Louie facility. The Historical Society has been looking for space in the building since the commission set up the plan to turn the former bowling lanes and ice rink into a center for community theater performances and the county museum.

  Comments  

Videos

Overland Park is moving forward

Iconic French Market on Metcalf being demolished for new office campus

View More Video

Trending Stories

First Amendment ‘auditor’ injured during argument with security guard at LA synagogue

February 15, 2019 09:53 AM

New forecast: Up to 6 inches of snow possible in Kansas City area from winter storm

February 14, 2019 02:41 PM

Snow is coming to Kansas City Friday, again: Here’s when and how much

February 14, 2019 10:11 AM

‘I let the fire go’: two women charged in shooting of teen at Kansas City high school

February 14, 2019 04:47 PM

Was that Elsa’s girlfriend in ‘Frozen II’ trailer? Fans who want her to be gay hope so

February 14, 2019 10:05 AM

Read Next

Smaller JoCo cities passing laws protecting LGBTQ residents. Why not Olathe, OP?
Video media Created with Sketch.

Government & Politics

Smaller JoCo cities passing laws protecting LGBTQ residents. Why not Olathe, OP?

By Lynn Horsley

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 15, 2019 05:30 AM

Advocates for the LGBTQ community are frustrated that after two years of study, Olathe isn’t acting on a non-discrimination ordinance. Other cities like Prairie Village, Merriam and Mission have already done so.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The Kansas City Star

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE JOCO 913

A snowy day is a fine time to dig out a classic tale

Joco Diversions

A snowy day is a fine time to dig out a classic tale

February 14, 2019 10:43 PM
Mani/pedi destroyer may start a ‘no polish’ movement

Joco Diversions

Mani/pedi destroyer may start a ‘no polish’ movement

February 14, 2019 09:28 PM
Siberian Husky, pretty gray kitty ready for homes

Joco 913

Siberian Husky, pretty gray kitty ready for homes

February 14, 2019 09:20 PM
Blue Valley adds 5 minutes to school day

Joco 913

Blue Valley adds 5 minutes to school day

February 14, 2019 09:00 PM
Are you ‘dependent?’ Ask yourself when things get rough

Joco Diversions

Are you ‘dependent?’ Ask yourself when things get rough

February 14, 2019 08:04 PM
A look at closures on Presidents Day

Joco 913

A look at closures on Presidents Day

February 13, 2019 12:00 AM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
Advertising
  • Advertising information
  • Print
  • Digital
  • Place a Classified
  • Local Deals
Copyright
Commenting Policy
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story