Willcott discusses legislative session with county commission

The Kansas Legislature will convene on Jan. 13 and newly-elected lawmaker Sean Willcott of Holton, who will represent Kansas House District 62, met with the Jackson County Commissioners on Monday to discuss the upcoming session. 

The District 62 seat represents the cities of Circleville, Denison, Netawaka, Soldier, Whiting and portions of Holton, as well as Brown and Nemaha counties. 

Willcott introduced himself to the commissioners and said he’s touching base with all county officials in the district prior to the start of the session. 

“I’m just trying to establish those conduits of communication and to understand the priorities the commissioners have for their communities,” Willcott said.

Commissioner Keith Kelly told Willcott that there are currently 18 unfunded mandates from the state government that the commissioners would like to be eliminated. 

“Every time another unfunded mandate from the state comes in, we have to find the money somewhere,” Commissioner Kelly said. 

The revenue neutral rate hearings and tax mailings sent to all property owners will not be funded by the state next year and will be printed and mailed at the expenses of the county and taxpayers, Kelly said. Earlier this year, 10,494 statements were mailed by the county clerk’s office.

Commissioner Kelly said that the Kansas Association of Counties plans to lobby the Legislature next year to get rid of unfunded mandates.

This past session, lawmakers also eliminated the Local Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund, which benefitted counties when it was originally set up in 1930s. Since 2004, all counties and cities in the state have stopped receiving LAVTR funds. Those funds have been kept back by the state.

Now that the LAVTR fund has been eliminated altogether, Commissioner Mark Pruett said that all those taxes specially earmarked for that fund should also be eliminated.

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