SAINTS PERSPECTIVE, SCCC President Brad Bennett
At Seward County Community College, our mission extends beyond education — it includes fiscal responsibility to the taxpayers who support our institution. As we prepare for the 2026 fiscal year, I want to share how SCCC is prioritizing community investment by maintaining a consistent mill levy that aligns closely with the 2025 rate.
Our Board of Trustees has chosen to set the 2026 operational mill levy at 34.991, just slightly above the 2025 rate of 34.720. This decision is guided by our ongoing commitment to long-term financial stewardship and transparency. While inflation, utility costs, and labor expenses rise, we are doing our part to hold the line on tax impacts.
To help our community understand this better, it’s important to highlight the role of the Revenue Neutral Rate (RNR) in public budgeting. The RNR is the mill levy a taxing entity would need to apply to generate the same dollar amount of revenue as the previous year — no more, no less — based on the current year’s total assessed property valuation. If property values rise, the RNR drops; if property values fall, the RNR increases. It’s a key tool for comparing tax impacts year over year, regardless of property market shifts. Before the July 20 deadline, SCCC notified the county of its intent to exceed the RNR for this budget cycle. It was important for this to occur as there could still be changes to this year’s valuations.
By choosing a mill levy near the RNR, SCCC ensures we are not collecting more tax revenue than necessary, even when property values increase. This approach provides predictability for both the institution and taxpayers, and protects the community from sudden changes in tax bills due to valuation spikes.
To put this in perspective, we’ve included a chart that shows the historical mill levy rates and assessed valuations from 2019 through 2026 (see chart).
As you can see, SCCC has consistently operated within a narrow mill range, demonstrating restraint even in years when property valuations fluctuated. Notably:
• The operational mill rate has decreased from its peak of 39.973 in 2019.
• In 2011, our county assessed evaluations were $284.4. As a county, we have stayed relatively flat while inflation has increased. In 2011, SCCC levied $7,650,209 adjusted for inflation, today’s value would be $10,939,799, we are asking to levy about $1 million less at $9,950,473. Also, as a point of reference in 2019 SCCC levied $10,295,485 adjusted for inflation in today’s dollars which would equate to $12,989,755.
• Since 2021, we have stayed below or near the revenue-neutral rate to avoid increasing the tax burden.
• In addition to rising costs, Kansas community colleges are also facing reductions in state funding. There are several funding reallocation models that could result in decreased appropriations for institutions like SCCC. These changes would reflect shifts in statewide priorities and formulas, but they place additional pressure on local funding sources. Despite this, SCCC is committed to minimizing the impact on students and taxpayers by carefully managing resources and maintaining stable mill rates. This makes local support more important than ever in sustaining access to high-quality, affordable education in our region.
By keeping the mill levy stable, we are preserving the value of the public’s investment in education while continuing to offer robust programs that meet local workforce and academic needs. These include technical training, healthcare education, business development, and affordable transfer pathways.
We recognize that property taxes are a serious concern for our community. That’s why SCCC remains committed to maximizing every dollar, maintaining strong financial oversight, and ensuring that taxpayer support directly benefits local students and our regional economy.
We are grateful for the continued support of Seward County residents. Together, we are not only sustaining a vital educational institution — we are investing in the future of our community.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR — Brad Bennett is the President of Seward County Community College and a self-confessed numbers "nerd." In all seriousness, he takes his duties as steward of taxpayer money to heart, and is always glad to talk to stakeholders. You can reach him at
