Lawrence city commissioners voted to set their maximum property tax rate for 2026 above city staff members’ recommendation.
However, they said they aim to reduce it as they continue budget discussions in the coming weeks and months.
Each year, local governments must approve their maximum mill levy, or property tax rate, well before they approve the complete budget and the details that go into it. The city commission had to approve its maximum mill levy Tuesday in order to notify the county clerk by July 20.
The maximum mill levy will be 33.986 mills for 2026. It could ultimately be lower than that, but regardless of the rate, most property owners will see tax increases because assessed valuations of properties increased about 5%.
With the maximum rate set, the city’s budget cannot exceed that spending authority, but commissioners can choose to tax and spend less than the maximum rate.
Commissioner Amber Sellers pushed for a greater maximum mill levy as the commission still wants to discuss potentially funding more police officers and firefighter-paramedics, among other things, as the budget process continues.
“We’re giving ourselves such limited opportunity to have discussion,” Sellers said.
Last year, commissioners set the maximum mill levy at 36.807, but ultimately approved a rate of 33.197 mills. That was a slight decrease from 2024, when the mill levy was 33.207.
City staff members recommended a mill levy of 33.186 mills for 2026 — a bit lower than last year’s, but most property owners would still see tax increases anyway.
Under the mill levy city staff recommended, the owner of a home with an assessed valuation of $200,000 would pay the city about $763 in property taxes in 2026. However, if that home’s assessed valuation increased 5% this year, the owner’s property taxes paid to the city would increase by almost $38, to about $801.
Under commissioners’ approved maximum mill levy — 0.8 mills higher than the staff recommendation — the owner of a home with an assessed valuation of $200,000 would pay the city about $782 in property taxes in 2026. If that home’s assessed valuation increased 5% this year, property taxes due to the city would increase by about $39, to almost $821.
Commissioners voted 3-2 to approve the 33.986 maximum mill levy. Mayor Mike Dever, Vice Mayor Brad Finkeldei and Sellers voted in favor; Commissioners Lisa Larsen and Bart Littlejohn voted against the motion.
Commissioners asked city staff members to hold a discussion on increasing the transient guest tax in the near future.
That’s a special sales tax that applies to hotels and short-term lodging. Increasing it would bring greater benefit to the city surrounding the 2026 World Cup. Games will be held in Kansas City, and Lawrence will likely be a base camp city for a soccer team and international visitors. (Read more of our coverage of World Cup preparations at this link.)
A majority of commissioners also said during the meeting that they would support charging residents fees to use the city’s recreation facilities. Read more about that at this link.
Additional city budget conversations are still to come.
Commissioners will hold public hearings on the budget on Tuesday, Sept. 2, and they’ll consider final adoption of the 2026 budget during their Tuesday, Sept. 16 meeting.
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Mackenzie Clark (she/her), reporter/founder of The Lawrence Times, can be reached at mclark@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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