Budget set despite dire talk
Staff writer
Pleas to reduce the budget fell on sometimes sympathetic but still deaf ears Monday at Marion City Council’s budget hearing.
Council members approved a $9,806,392 budget, up 30.9% over 2024, which itself was 34.6% over 2023.
Taxes won’t increase nearly as much, however, rising the equivalent of 3.9%.
Resident Darvin Markley, who spoke during public comment sessions for exceeding revenue neutrality and setting the budget, told council members that if they were going to move the community forward, they should look at how much less taxes are in Hillsboro, where the tax rate is 30 mills less than in Marion.
He said he didn’t understand why the city needed to purchase several things, including a street sweeper.
“We could invest the reserve funds with better interest rates from the state,” he said. “I think we should have an investment fund and put some of this money in there to buy equipment.”
When Mayor Mike Powers called for comments on the budget, he said it still could be adjusted. No adjustments were made, however.
One retired woman said that with prices and Medicare costs going up, she was concerned about her money.
“I think you might want to consider that,” she said.
Former council member Ruth Herbel said she questioned why a transfer of money from the city’s utility fund would be made to its general fund, fearing that it would lead to utility rate increases.
“How many homes are in the tax sale because they can’t afford the taxes?” Herbel asked.
Powers said that a year from now the city might see it was better off than it currently seems. But, he said, “I’m really worried hiring people will cost us more.”
Young people don’t want to move to small towns, he said.
“The word is out that this community is going to get beat up pretty badly,” he added.
Interim city administrator Mark McAnarney said Lyons was offering a higher salary than Marion for its vacant city administrator position He did not mention that Lyons has double to population of Marion.
Markley asked how much money had been saved because of vacancies in the police department.
“I’m just saying maybe we could back off on buying things,” Markley said. “A number of business owners told me their taxes are getting out of hand.”
When Markley suggested that businesses considering locating in Marion would choose Hillsboro’s lower taxes just 10 miles away, Powers replied: “I don’t know that Hillsboro is the competition. I get it that when it comes to football, we want to beat Hillsboro.”
Council member Kevin Burkholder said that just because the budget passed, didn’t mean all of it had to be spent.
Melvin Nickolas agreed it takes more money to buy things, but said residents have to buy things, too.
“Every time taxes go up, I have less,” Nickolas said. “You need to understand us.”
Retired minister Lawrence Lambert told council members that taxes hurt not just people with lower incomes.
“It’s going to get worse,” Lambert said. “It’s tough, and I think more individuals are having a hard time.”
Council member Zach Collett responded that the city was not the only taxing entity. The school district and county also tax people.
“Now, I realize we’re the only ones that get raked over the coals,” Collett said.
The county, unlike the city, this year adopted a revenue-neutral budget to keep tax revenue the same a last year.
“You’re not on a fixed income,” Arlene Stika told Collett.
In other business, council members voted to accept a bid for sealing runway cracks at the city’s airport.
They also heard a report that Kansas Housing Resource Corp. amended the city’s middle income housing grant from $140,000 to $160,000.
The council also voted to spend $500 at the request of Marion Merchants and Marion Economic Development, relayed by community enrichment director Margo Yates, to purchase five Marion Warrior flags.