HUTCHINSON, Kan. (June 17, 2025) –The Hutchinson City Council is currently deliberating a significant proposal for the 2026 budget: a 2-mill increase in property taxes. This proposed adjustment is to address a substantial surge in overhead costs, primarily driven by persistent inflationary pressures that have impacted essential city expenditures such as fuel, utilities, equipment, and insurance.
Furthermore, the city has been successful in significantly reducing its staffing vacancies from 52 to a mere 11, leading to a near-full staffing level. While beneficial for service delivery, this increased staffing also contributes to the rising operational costs that the proposed tax increase aims to offset.
The primary objective of this 2-mill property tax increase is to stabilize the city’s financial footing, ensuring the sustained delivery of current service levels to residents, and to prepare for future demands on city resources.
This proposal was initially brought to the forefront for discussion during the June 17 City Council meeting. Further in-depth discussion and analysis are scheduled for July 1, during which the council will work to determine the 2026 Revenue Neutral Rate. The City needs to report this rate to the State of Kansas by July 20 to adhere with state regulations. The final budget must be adopted later this summer.
The City of Hutchinson is committed to maintaining full transparency throughout this budget process. Public engagement is strongly encouraged, and residents are urged to participate in discussions and provide feedback as the City Council navigates these important financial decisions that will directly impact the community.
