2023 Budget: How to learn more and share input

2023 Budget: How to learn more and share input
Posted on 07/21/2022

How does Lenexa plan to allocate its resources next year? Here’s how you can explore the 2023 Recommended Budget and provide feedback before the Lenexa City Council considers approving the budget in late August.

Review the Recommended Budget online

You’ll find a copy of the 2023 Recommended Budget at Lenexa.com/Budget. The Lenexa City Council started review of next year’s proposed budget – which includes a one-mill property tax reduction – in late June.

New for 2022: Estimated Tax Notices

For the first time this year, Johnson County mailed residents an estimated tax notice. It is not a bill. It is just an estimate of your 2023 property taxes.

A new 2021 Kansas law, SB 13, requires that before a taxing jurisdiction can adopt a budget based on exceeding the revenue-neutral rate, it must mail out notices and hold a public hearing. The revenue-neutral rate is the tax rate that would generate the same property tax revenue as the previous year using the current year’s valuation.

While the estimated tax notices and tax rate public hearing are new requirements, exceeding the revenue neutral rate is very common for growing cities, counties and other taxing jurisdictions. The City of Lenexa receives additional revenue from both new growth, like newly built homes and businesses, and increased property tax valuations.

New growth creates increased demand for services – like snow removal, street and sidewalk maintenance, public safety services and parks. Economic pressures cause operational, labor and commodity prices to rise for both maintaining and expanding services. New revenue helps fund these increasing costs.

Notices were sent in early August. Learn more at JoCoGov.org/EstimatedTaxNotice.

Ask questions at an open house

Residents had the opportunity to learn more about the recommended budget and budget process at an open house on Thursday, Aug. 11, at Lenexa City Hall, 17101 W. 87th St. Pkwy. Attendees explored a series of stations on topics like the new estimated tax notices, capital improvement program and budget process. Staff were available at each station to answer questions.

Give feedback at a public hearing

The City Council will hold public hearings for the 2023 Recommended Budget and the tax rate during a special meeting on Aug. 23. The meeting will start at 7 p.m. in the Community Forum at Lenexa City Hall. After the hearings, the Council will consider approving the budget.

If you can’t make it to the open house or public hearings, you can still email questions or send feedback to [email protected].


Updated Aug. 12, 2022