Revenue Neutral Rate Notices
If you’ve received a Revenue Neutral Rate (RNR) notice in the mail, here’s what it means.
What is the Revenue Neutral Rate? The RNR is when a taxing jurisdiction — such as your city, county, school district, or other local taxing entity — budgets the exact same amount of property tax dollars for the upcoming year as it did for the current year.
For example, if a taxing entity used $1 million in property tax revenue this year, staying revenue neutral means they plan to use $1 million again next year. If they plan to use more than that, they are exceeding the RNR and must hold a public hearing.
Why did I get this notice? Kansas law requires these notices to promote transparency. The notice tells you if each taxing jurisdiction plans to exceed the RNR (meaning they will use more property tax dollars than last year). This is not a new appraisal notice — those are sent in March.
Do I need to do anything? No action is required. The notice is for information purposes only. However, if you want to learn more or share your thoughts, you are encouraged to attend the public hearings listed on the back of the notice.
Will my property taxes go up as much as my appraisal? Not necessarily. Your property’s value determines your share of the total tax pie, but not the size of the pie itself. The budgets set by local taxing jurisdictions determine how much tax will actually be collected.
Attend a public hearing If a taxing entity plans to use more property tax dollars than last year, they are required to hold a public hearing. Check your notice for dates, times, and locations so you can stay informed and involved. |