York News-Times Reprint
Written by Parker Garlough
York County residents recently received “pink postcards” from the York County Board and Heartland school district informing them of a proposed increase in property taxes. About 60 people attended a hearing Wednesday evening to discuss the increase.
The “pink postcard” hearing has been required by state statute since 2022. In each county, taxing subdivisions that exceed the allowable tax increase (2% plus the real growth valuation) must give a presentation and hear public comment at a joint hearing.
Heartland Community Schools’ property tax request is $5,488,564.
“The amount that we were holding in reserve lowered because of some of the mechanical lids that were in place with LB243,” Superintendent Jeremy Klein said. “We’re trying to catch up from those years where we go below our reserve targets.”
Staff wage increases also contribute to the tax request increase.
“Personnel is the largest part of budgetary increase and tax request increase, certainly, and that will always be the case,” Klein said.
The county’s current proposed budget request is $9,712,972, but because of a state law limiting budget increases, it will have to be decreased before submitting it to the state. County budgets are allowed to grow by the real growth valuation (for York County this year, 1.3%) plus inflation (5.26%). That means York County’s property tax request can increase by 6.56% total. Under the current proposal, it would increase by 12%.
At the County Board meeting Sept. 29, commissioners will resolve the difference and finalize the budget.
“Is that cutting back on a budget? Sure, we can do that,” Grotz said. “Is that supplementing with some inheritance tax money? That’s an option.”
The common refrain at the hearing was that property taxes are too high.
“This cannot go on, because the people are not going to be able to pay it,” Henderson resident Leo Epp said.
Commissioner Andy Bowman described the difficulty of balancing a county budget.
“You guys want real tax cuts?” he said. “Let’s talk about real tax cuts. What services does this county not want to live with?”
Hearing participant Troy Burgess expressed a similar idea, but with greater emphasis on the need for cuts.
“I understand that we have a lot of things that we have to spend money on: We have to spend money on roads,” he said. “We have to spend money on our sheriff’s department. We have our schools that we want to be good …. But if we’re actually going to increase at 3% a year, in 20 years, where are we?”
Some commenters expressed a desire for a hearing earlier in the budget process.
“It comes a little late in the process, from my standpoint,” hearing participant Kurt Friesen said. “Budgets have been thought over and worked on for months already.”
In the future, the pink postcard hearing will take place sooner.
“Next year, that’s going to change,” hearing participant Stephen Postier said.
“The pink postcard (hearing), by the Legislature, is now required for the first two weeks of July.”
