Riley County property taxes to decrease slightly in 2025

Taxpayers in Riley County may have a little extra change in their pockets after a decrease in their 2025 property taxes.

Riley County commissioners on Thursday unanimously approved the 2025 budget worksheet in a step toward finalizing its budget after a public hearing in the coming weeks. The $55.4 million proposal calls for a .1% drop in property taxes as commissioners reduced the mill levy by 1.923 mills to 37.943.

The county’s budget was $54 million with a mill levy of 39.866 in 2024.

A mill is $1 in tax for every $1,000 in assessed, taxable property value. That means the owner of a $100,000 property who paid $458.69 in 2024 would pay $458.16 on a home now valued at $105,000 in 2024. That is a decrease of .1% or 13 cents in county property taxes.

Riley County is decreasing its budget $193,504 below the “revenue-neutral rate” after the commissioners directed staff to make some adjustments during their July 8 budget session. The adjustments included removing the human resources assistant position, increasing budget stabilization by $150,000 and approving a cost-of-living adjustment.

The revenue-neutral rate rules require that local governments determine whether they’ll set a property tax rate that brings in more or less money than the previous year. Because of rising property values, remaining “revenue neutral” would require local governments to cut tax rates proportionally.

The total amount of ad valorem taxes, or taxes derived from an assessed value like property or real estate, required for 2025 amounts to $31.4 million. This includes the Riley County Police Department fund, county building fund, bond and interest fund, and general fund.

Phillips said from here, she will add the numbers to the state document and then send it to the auditor once it is complete.

“This is probably the first year we’ve been below the revenue-neutral rate,” commissioner Kathryn Focke said.

Commissioner John Ford said this revenue-neutral rate is standard.

“Don’t expect a 2-mill drop every year going forward,” Ford said. “Both the number and then the mill levy, it pretty much has to be balanced.”

The Riley County commission will hold a budget hearing on Aug. 22. After an audit and the public hearing, commissioners officially will finalize the budget.