Commissioner Murguia explains "no" vote on 2015 UG budget

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ---- Last week in a story about the Unified Government passing its 2015 fiscal year budget, I quoted Unified Government Commissioner Jim Walters extensively on why he voted against the budget.

On Wednesday, UG Commissioner Ann Murguia posted her thoughts on the budget and I thought I would pass them along on here. Whenever an elected official takes time to communicate with his or her constituents, that correspondence needs to be spread across all outlets of communication.

You can view her Facebook page here.

Below is word for word from her account:

The 2015 budget passed last Thursday and I wanted to provide all of you my personal vote on the 7 budget items.

1) First vote was adoption on the "Consolidated Plan". This deals with HOME and CDBG money from the federal government. I voted YES!

2) The PILOT. This stands for Payment In Lieu of Taxes. It is the fee the BPU pays to the UG instead of property tax. We voted on keeping the rate the same - NO INCREASE. The PILOT clearly generates more revenue than taxes would generate. Therefore this would cause significant budget shortfalls for the UG to do away with the PILOT. Changing this over night won't happen but developing a plan to change over time could and should happen. I voted YES! for now.

3) Sewer service rate. This is a fee the UG charges to help pay for a FEDERAL MANDATE by EPA to separate storm water from sewer. I don't like it but voting no would only result in a federal law suit that we would lose. Not even debatable. I voted YES!

4) Solid Waste. This is your trash removal. We get a better trash rate for our citizens by having the UG solicit bids on behalf of all the residents. I don't like the thought of people taking trash removal into their own hands. We have enough illegal dumping. I voted YES!

5) Wyandotte County Library Board. It did not change I voted YES!

6) SSMID budget for downtown. The majority of businesses in a specific geographic area of downtown KCK choose to tax themselves to pay people to keep trash picked up off the streets, do landscaping and a variety of other types of beautification efforts. I believe if people want to tax themselves that is up to them. I voted YES!

7) Annual Budget. This is the piece that sets our mil levy and determines the city and county tax rate. It was decreased in KCK by 2 mils and increased by 2 mils in Bonner and Edwardsville. Though I do not represent anyone outside the city. I was opposed to an increase anywhere, including Bonner and Edwardsville. I voted NO!

Kane calls for salary raise for UG employees

By NICK SLOAN, nick@kansascitykansan.com

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- Employees who work for the Unified Government have not received a raise in seven years.

In comments after commissioners approved the 2015 budget, Unified Government Commissioner Mike Kane said that needs to change by next year's budget.

"Since 2007, our employees have not had a raise of salary," Kane said. "I would like Mr. Bach (County Administrator Doug Bach) to come up with a plan to give our folks a raise."

Kane said that the raise needs to happen even if it means the mill levy goes up next year.

"When you are an employee here, you're not just behind (in salary) - you're way behind," Kane said.

By 6-2 vote, UG commissioners approve 2015 budget

By NICK SLOAN, nick@kansascitykansan.com

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- The Unified Government Board of Commissioners officially put the 2015 budget to bed Thursday evening, approving the budget by a 6-2 margin.

The budget will increase property taxes for residents in Bonner Springs and Edwardsville, as the county mill levy was raised by two mills. Residents in Kansas City, Kan., will be a bit luckier this year, as the city mill levy was lowered by two mills.

Combined with the increase of the county levy, the total levy for KCK residents remains flat for 2015.

Unified Government Mayor/CEO Mark Holland said the mill levy increase was appropriate. In his final comment about this year's budget, Holland again called for Wyandotte County's public safety departments to find a way to save dollars.

"We have to find a way to curb these expenses," Holland said, adding that not adequately funding public safety is the biggest threat to Wyandotte County.

Commissioners Jim Walters and Ann Murguia were the two commissioners who voted no on the budget.

Walters, who represents Bonner Springs and Edwardsville on the board, voted against the budget that increases the tax rate of his constituents.

In a comment about his vote, Walters said he understands the loss of $400,000 in state revenue put the UG in a tough place.

However, he said he believed raising taxes to help pay for a new $20 million emergency radio system was not the right thing to do. A previous group of county commissioners voted to approve of it.

"That's an awkward position for us to be in," Walters said. "I don't think the previous commission - if they really thought a tax increase was mandatory - would have passed or approved the purchase without making any accommodation for a new revenue stream. I think the staff had had a year and a half to find (the new revenue stream) to fund it.  I don't think we should increase taxes to do so."

For Murguia, it's the third time she's voted against a budget that featured a tax increase for residents in Wyandotte County.

Overtime pay to Wyandotte County public safety employees down 20 percent in 2014

By NICK SLOAN, nick@kansascitykansan.com

The amount of overtime paid to the three public safety departments in Wyandotte County is projected to decrease by $1 million by the end of 2014.

Last year the Unified Government paid employees from the Kansas City, Kan., Fire Department, Kansas City, Kan., Police Department and Wyandotte County Sheriff's Office over $5 million worth of overtime.

This year's total could be 20 percent less if current projections hold until the end of the year. 

So far this year, the KCK Fire Department has reduced its overtime pay by 51 percent, while the police department has slashed overtime by 28 percent and the sheriff's office has reduced its overtime by eight percent.

Unified Government Mayor/CEO Mark Holland called the news a step in the right direction, but recommended the departments to do more, challenging all three to find an additional $500,000 worth of overtime to be eliminated.

Holland said reducing overtime could help the county maintain its bond rating.

"We need to be aggressive in protecting our bond rating," Holland said. "The cost of losing our bond rating exceeds the cost of making some changes."

Due to its lower cash balance fund, the UG is in danger of having its bond rating lowered, meaning a higher interest rate when borrowing money to fund larger projects.

UG Commissioner Hal Walker also said overtime should be lowered, but said a detailed plan is needed for all departments.

"It sounds good, but I'd like to know what the department chiefs plan to do," Walker said.

The cost of public safety has increased the most out of all budget items in Wyandotte County. The non-public safety budget has increased by under two percent since 2006.

The fire department's budget has increased by 33 percent during that time, while the sheriff's department's budget has increased by 54 percent. The police budget has increased by 14.7 percent in that same time period.

Earlier this year, the UG board approved of an efficiency study to examine how the department spends money and operates as a whole.

Mill levy to remain level for 2015 UG budget

By NICK SLOAN, nick@kansascitykansan.com

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ---- The overall mill levy for this year's Unified Government budget will remain flat from last year.

During his budget presentation tonight, Unified Government Administrator Doug Bach said the mill levy will remain at 82 mills.

The county mill levy will see a property tax rate increase of two mills, while the Kansas City, Kan., property tax levy will be decreased by two mills, leaving the overall mill the same it was in 2013.

“This budget proposal recommends a path to confront the difficult budget challenges facing the Unified Government next year, while still addressing many of the strategic goals and budget guidelines directed by the Unified Government Commission,” Bach said.

This year's budget will not include any "major reductions" in basic services, Bach said.

It will also maintain the Commission Neighborhood Infrastructure Program, along with providing $1 million for the installation and operation of the new Wyandotte County Emergency Radio System.

The overall budget, totaling $295,817,522, is about $1 million less than last year's budget.

More information later tonight.

Unified Government's 2015 budget to be presented tonight

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ---- The Unified Government will present its 2015 budget later today.

The presentation will begin at 5 p.m. at City Hall.

More information on the upcoming budget workshops:

The presentation will outline the financial strategies and approaches to funding Unified Government services and programs in 2015.

Mayor Mark Holland and the Board of Commissioners will then launch a month of public budget workshops to review, analysis and discuss the budget plan before adopting it at the end of July.

Here's the schedule for the budget meetings and workshops.

July 10 5pm - County Administrator Proposed 2015 Budget Presentation to Commission

July 14 5pm - Budget Workshop

July 17 5pm - Budget Workshop

July 21 6PM - Budget Workshop

July 24 5PM - Budget Workshop

July 28 5PM - Final Budget Public Hearing followed by Budget Workshop if necessary

July 31 5PM - Budget Workshop if necessary
           7PM - Commission meeting to adopt budget

All budget Workshops will be held in the 5th floor conference room. Budget Presentation and Final Public Hearing will be held in the Commission Chambers.

All budget workshops will be broadcast on UGTV.