EARL WATT
• Leader & Times
To comply with the request from the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals in returning Seward County to revenue neutral and refunding those who overpaid their taxes, the Seward County Commission added an amended budget to the agenda Feb. 19 the night of the meeting and voted to accept it.
State law requires any amended budgets to follow the same process as the original budget, which requires publication 10 days prior to a public hearing, and after the hearing the commission can adopt the budget.
Seward County counsel asked if notice was required, and Seward County Administration April Warden stated she had checked with the Kansas Department of Administration Mandy Patek who said if the budget is being reduced, notice and a hearing was not required.
But Kansas Department of Administration Chief of Staff Samir Arif said the KDA does not provide that type of guidance.
“The Department of Administration does not provide legal guidance to taxing subdivisions,” he said. “When taxing subdivisions have legal questions, they must consult their own legal counsel.”
Sources with the county commission have stated counsel is looking in to the issue, and any necessary requirements will be fulfilled.
