To the editor:

I am disappointed with the rhetoric employed by the Douglas County administrator in his attempt to justify increasing property tax on Douglas County families, farmers and small businesses. In this attempt to shift the blame on the decision to eliminate the burdensome and discriminatory mortgage tax, there are a few important facts missing.

According to the fiscal note prepared by the unbiased experts at the Kansas Legislative Research Department, Douglas County will only lose $123,123 in mortgage tax revenue in 2015 due to the passage of this legislation. Compared to the county’s overall budget in 2014, this drop in revenue represents a miniscule 0.19 percent of the county’s budget.

Let’s also be honest about the county’s recent history with increasing property taxes. In 2008, Douglas County raised the mill levy by an astounding 2.825 mills, which came at a time when the county collected over $1.7 million in mortgage tax revenues.

In 2010, the county raised the mill levy by 2.945 mills at a time when the county collected over $1.4 million in mortgage taxes. Finally, in 2013, the county raised the mill levy by 1.383 mills at a time when the county collected $1.8 million in mortgage taxes.

The county has raised the mill levy rate three out of the last four years. If Douglas County chooses to raise property taxes again this year (for the fourth time in the last five years), this choice will be made to support higher spending and not the replacement of phantom revenue.