Despite a raucous audience alternating between boos and cheers, and so large the venue had to be moved to another location, Johnson County Commissioners ignored the majority of public feedback and voted overwhelmingly to impose another 6% tax increase on county residents.
The Johnson County Post reported commissioners voted 6-1, with only Michael Ashcraft dissenting, to exceed revenue neutral in arriving at a 2026 budget.
Johnson County is budgeting to spend $995 million next year, which is a 45% increase over the last five years and considerably higher than estimated inflation and population growth (22% and 6%, respectively, both of which are estimated to increase at this year’s rates). The reported budget of $1.9 billion includes transfers to other funds and cash reserves.
County commissioners could choose to cut back on some of the unnecessary spending or dip into their enormous cash reserves to avoid a tax increase. The General Fund alone has more than $200 million in reserves, which is about three times what is needed for good cash flow planning.
Valuations rose 6.6% this year, about $7.63/month for an average home of $500,000 in the county.
About 50 speakers voiced their opinions, and the Post estimated only a handful were supportive of exceeding last year’s budget. Cassie Woolworth of Olathe approved of county efforts to expand housing options for low and middle-income residents, for example.
However, the majority of the speakers and the estimated crowd of 200 at the Olathe Community Center were vocal in their opposition to the tax hike, with some vowing to unseat the majority commissioners in next year’s elections. Commission Chair Mike Kelly and colleagues Becky Fast and Janee Hanzlick will be up for re-election in 2026.
Ron Johnson of Overland Park said his fellow seniors on fixed incomes are hit the hardest:
“Your apparent modest 6.448% [increase] in revenue kills me and all other residents on fixed incomes, as well as discrediting the Fed’s (Federal Reserve’s) attempt to reduce inflation. We need help. We are cutting back. Why aren’t you?”
James Lucas of Olathe disagreed with how property tax is calculated:
“Property tax is a tax on unrealized gain, while our payment is in real dollars. The alleged increase in property value is a mythical number which the homeowner can’t use to pay the higher taxes unless he or she sells his or her property.”
Aside from property taxes, JOCO will ask voters in March to extend the quarter-cent courthouse sales tax for 10 years to help pay for public safety-related services such as law enforcement and ambulance service.
Commissioners will reconvene August 28th to adopt the 2026 budget.
