Dodge City Commission Summary
Week of July 18, 2026
City commission approves notice of intent to exceed revenue neutral rate
Maximum mill levy set at 35.667 for 2027 budget
Public hearings set for 2027 budget and tax rates on Sept. 8, 2026
Property tax revenue slated to increase by $160,000
Expiration of a housing development tax district expected to lower final mill levy
Police and fire budgets to see $700,000 jump
City to leave five positions vacant to control budget costs
Commissioners discuss potential impact of state eliminating property taxes
Square-footage utility fee floated as alternative to property tax
City commission approves notice of intent to exceed revenue neutral rate
DODGE CITY, Kan. — The Dodge City Commission voted unanimously Monday to notify Ford County Clerk Debbie Cox of its intent to exceed the revenue neutral rate for the 2027 budget. Finance director Nicole May reported the city's revenue neutral rate — the exact tax rate needed to generate the same amount of property tax revenue as the previous year — is 34.984 mills. State law requires taxing subdivisions to formally notify the county by July 20 and hold public hearings if they plan to adopt a budget that surpasses this rate.
Maximum mill levy set at 35.667 for 2027 budget
DODGE CITY, Kan. — Commissioners established a maximum anticipated mill levy of 35.667 mills for the city's 2027 budget, slightly higher than the final 2026 rate of 35.611 mills. While Dodge City can adopt a final budget with a lower mill levy later this year, it cannot legally exceed the published 35.667 maximum. City officials noted that the published rate is traditionally set higher than the final approved rate and they anticipate the final number will drop once Ford County Clerk Debbie Cox finalizes all assessed property valuations.
Public hearings set for 2027 budget and tax rates on Sept. 8, 2026
DODGE CITY, Kan. — Dodge City residents will have the opportunity to voice their opinions on the 2027 budget and the intent to exceed the revenue neutral rate during a public hearing scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026. Taxpayers will receive notices in the mail detailing the proposed 35.667 mill levy ahead of the hearing. Following public comment and a series of August work sessions, the city commission faces a final statutory deadline of Sept. 20 to officially adopt the 2027 budget.
Property tax revenue slated to increase by $160,000
DODGE CITY, Kan. — Despite discussions of exceeding the revenue neutral rate, Dodge City's total property tax revenue across all entities is projected to increase by just $160,000 over the 2026 budget. Finance director Nicole May emphasized that this represents only a 0.7 percent increase, falling significantly below current inflation rates. The modest revenue boost will be spread across the city's general fund, library, debt service and capital improvement funds.
Expiration of a housing development tax district expected to lower final mill levy
DODGE CITY, Kan. — Taxpayers may see relief on the final 2027 mill levy when the United Village housing development tax district comes off its Rural Housing Incentive District status. When a property exits the district, its full assessed valuation is added back onto the city's tax rolls, effectively spreading the tax burden over a larger base. Finance director Nicole May noted this upcoming valuation increase was not factored into Ford County's initial revenue neutral calculations and will naturally bring the final mill levy down before its official adoption.
Police and fire budgets to see $700,000 jump
DODGE CITY, Kan. — Dodge City's police and fire departments will account for a significant portion of next year's budget growth, with expenses anticipated to increase by $700,000 over 2026 estimates. The increase is partially driven by a fully staffed fire department, a milestone the city has not achieved in a long time. The two departments operate with a combined budget of approximately $10 million, an amount that heavily exceeds the city's total annual property tax revenue of just over $8 million.
City to leave five positions vacant to control budget costs
DODGE CITY, Kan. — To keep the 2027 budget tight, city administrators announced plans to leave five municipal positions unfilled. The Dodge City Police Department currently has seven open positions, but the new budget will only fund four of those hires, effectively freezing three roles and saving the city an estimated $300,000 to $400,000. Additionally, the administration department will forego hiring a management analyst and a recruiting position for at least the next year to manage short-term costs.
Commissioners discuss potential impact of state eliminating property taxes
DODGE CITY, Kan. — Looking ahead to the upcoming Kansas gubernatorial election this November, commissioners briefly debated how Dodge City would function if a new administration were to eliminate property taxes entirely. Staff indicated that such a move would create an immediate $3 million shortfall for basic services like police and fire, as current property taxes do not fully cover those departments' operational costs. Commissioners acknowledged that removing property taxes would simply shift the financial burden to other forms of taxation, such as user fees, utility franchise fees or higher sales taxes.
Square-footage utility fee floated as alternative to property tax
DODGE CITY, Kan. — If the state ever abolishes property taxes, Dodge City officials suggested a square-footage fee added to utility bills as a potential replacement to fund emergency services. City staff estimated that closing a $3 million funding gap across the city's 41 million square feet of real estate would require a fee of roughly 3 to 10 cents per square foot. Under this hypothetical model, a small residential property owner might pay $100 to $200 a year for police and fire services, while large industrial businesses with hundreds of thousands of square feet could see annual bills in the thousands.
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