If Allen County taxpayers approve the $9.95 million courthouse remodel project, they can expect to see tax rates increased by about 3.9 mills for the next 20 years.
For the owner of a $100,000 home, that would translate to an annual cost of $44.85, or $3.74 per month or 12 cents per day.
Voters will decide on Nov. 7 whether to approve the bond project.
The Register is sponsoring a community forum to discuss the bond project. It is planned for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10, at the Allen County Courthouse courtroom.
The proposal would build onto and renovate the Allen County Courthouse, adding a second courtroom nearly identical to the existing one and featuring numerous security improvements.
It would add new offices for court staff and judges, along with a new secure entry and lobby that would be handicapped accessible.
Existing court areas would be updated, handicapped accessible and more secure. Those areas include the jury room, conference rooms, offices, and storage and workspace.
The project would not take a significant amount of the courthouse lawn. The new addition would be southeast of the existing courtroom, taking up space between the court and jail.
The new entrance would essentially begin where the current sidewalk meets in a T-formation, next to a small landscaped garden on the south side.
The county hired Crossland Construction to serve as construction manager at risk. That means Crossland will be responsible for hiring contractors and overseeing the project. Crossland also is overseeing the bond election and will only charge a fee if the bond project passes.
A financial analysis by Raymond James Public Finance of Leawood shows the county is well-positioned for the project, with an average mill levy compared to other southeast Kansas counties and increasing assessed property valuations.
The analysis assumes Allen County’s valuation continues to grow at an average of 3%. Last year, the county’s valuation grew by 6.61%; the previous year it was 4.62% but that followed a bleak year when growth was negative 1.32%.
The report also points out that the Prairie Queen Wind Farm’s tax abatement expires in a few years and will join the county’s tax roll in 2030. That is expected to increase the county’s assessed value and could reduce the tax levy needed to repay the courthouse bonds.
The analysis predicts the county can expect an average interest rate of about 4.18%
A comparison of regional tax rates shows Allen County falls in the middle of the pack with its 2022 mill levy of 62.855. Other southeast Kansas counties had 2022 mill levies between 98.876 (Woodson) to a low of 41.880 (Miami).
