Wichita school district tax revenues rise rapidly

by Bob Weeks on February 21, 2008

The combination of a rising mill levy (the rate at which property is taxed) and rising appraised values mean that property taxes paid to USD 259, the Wichita public school district, rise rapidly.

Appraised values in Wichita have risen faster than general inflation. The Consumer Price Index, a measure of the general inflation rate, rose by 24% from 1999 to 2007. Over the same time period, the Sedgwick County house price index rose by 34%. This means that district revenues — if the mill levy didn’t change — will rise faster than the inflation rate. When the mill levy is increased, property tax revenues rise very rapidly. The following table illustrates.

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