Mission City Council Sets Sept. 16 Hearing on 2027 Tax “Intent” and SB 244
Mission KS – On July 15, City Council approved property-tax “intent” resolutions for 2027 and an SB 244 compliance ordinance, with a Sept. 16 hearing.
Mission City Council on July 15, 2026 approved two “resolution of intent” actions that would allow the City to set 2027 property tax mill levies above Kansas’ county-calculated “revenue neutral” levels—triggering a required public hearing set for Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. On the same agenda, Council also passed an ordinance directing the City to comply with Kansas House Substitute for Senate Bill 244 (SB 244) and placing the compliance process under the City Administrator.
What Mission Council approved on July 15
At its July 15 meeting at Mission City Hall, the governing body took three actions tied to the 2027 budget and state-law compliance:
- Resolution of Intent (Item 7a): A City of Mission resolution to exceed the “revenue neutral” property tax rate for the 2027 budget.
- Resolution of Intent (Item 7b): A Rock Creek Drainage District #2 resolution to exceed the “revenue neutral” rate for its 2027 budget.
- Ordinance (Item 7c): An ordinance directing Mission to comply with House Substitute for Senate Bill 244 and delegating responsibility for the law to the City Administrator.
How the “resolution of intent to exceed” works
In Kansas, the county clerk calculates a “revenue neutral rate.” If a governing body wants its mill levy to be equal to or higher than the prior year—and that could mean exceeding the revenue-neutral level—it must provide notice to the county by a set deadline and then hold a public hearing.
In Mission’s case, the packet materials say notice must be provided to the Johnson County Clerk no later than July 20, using a council resolution. The resolutions also set the required hearing during the Sept. 16, 2026 City Council meeting at 7:00 p.m. at Mission City Hall (6090 Woodson, Mission).
Just as important: the packet language says the mill levy may be reduced after the September public hearing, but it may not be increased once notice is given to the County by the July 20 deadline. The County will use the information provided by taxing jurisdictions and send notices to property owners.
Proposed maximum mill levies vs. revenue-neutral rates
The July 15 resolutions set the “intent” and the proposed maximums—not final 2027 property tax rates.
| Taxing entity | Revenue-neutral rate (mills) | Proposed maximum mill levy (mills) |
|---|---|---|
| City of Mission (2027 budget) | 21.456 | 22.025 |
| Rock Creek Drainage District #2 (2027 budget) | 7.375 | 7.745 |
What Mission residents should watch next
The key date is the Sept. 16, 2026 public hearing, where taxpayers can weigh in before Mission takes further action on the final mill levy. After the hearing, the levy can be reduced, but the packet materials also describe limits on increasing it after the July 20 county-notice step.
Because the County will send notices to property owners based on the information taxing jurisdictions provide, residents should expect mailings ahead of final tax-setting actions.
SB 244 compliance: what Mission’s ordinance sets up
The SB 244 ordinance Council passed on July 15 amends Mission’s municipal code by adding Section 120.145. It directs the City Administrator to take all necessary steps to ensure the City is in compliance with House Substitute for SB 244, as approved Feb. 18, 2026, by the Kansas Legislature.
In the packet, Mission describes the compliance framework as a centralized administrative process—focused on getting complaints, reviewing them, and responding in a consistent way.
- “Reasonable steps” for compliance: Packet materials describe compliance obligations as involving steps such as posting signage, providing employee guidance, and establishing a complaint process.
- Centralized complaint administration: The City Administrator is designated as the official responsible for receiving, reviewing, and responding to complaints about alleged violations occurring in City facilities, including coordinating any necessary review or investigation and maintaining complaint-related records.
- Consistency + delegation: The administrator’s job is framed to ensure the City’s response procedures are administered consistently and, where appropriate, administrative duties may be delegated to other officials.
The ordinance also includes a court-invalidation contingency: if a court invalidates any portion of House Substitute for SB 244, the City Administrator is directed to withdraw or amend administrative procedures or policies implemented under Section 120.145 to the maximum extent possible.
What SB 244 requires at the state level
In its bill summary, the Kansas Legislature describes House Substitute for SB 244 as requiring the designation of multiple-occupancy private spaces in public buildings for use by only one sex, imposing criminal and civil penalties for violations, defining “gender” to mean biological sex at birth for purposes of statutory construction, and directing state agencies to invalidate and reissue certain state records (including driver’s licenses and birth certificates) when necessary to correct sex identification.
Bottom line for taxpayers and residents
Mission’s July 15 actions set up a path to 2027 property tax mill levies that could run above the state “revenue neutral” calculations—while still allowing the City to reduce the levy after the Sept. 16, 2026 hearing. In parallel, the City has assigned SB 244 compliance administration to the City Administrator, including building a complaint-handling process for allegations involving City facilities.
Sources
- City of Mission event page: City Council Meeting (July 15, 2026) agenda items 7a–7c
- Kansas Legislature: House Substitute for SB 244 (bill page)
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