Wichita homeowners unlikely to see tax relief, even with mill levy cuts
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Rising property appraisals are likely to offset mill levy cuts for most Wichita homeowners.
- Combined mill levy cuts net $31.95 savings per $100K in appraised value.
- Wichita considers sales tax to fund further mill reductions for property relief.
Very few people who own property within Wichita and the USD 259 school district will see property tax relief in 2026, even though the city, Sedgwick County and state are lowering their mill levies.
If property tax appraisals continue to rise at the same rate as in the previous year, only 0.66% of residential property owners will see any decrease on their property tax bill, an Eagle analysis found. Just under 10% of commercial property owners could see tax relief.
Earlier this year, Kansas lawmakers passed a 1.5 mill reduction for property owners, which some argued didn’t go far enough to provide relief. That equates to a $17.25 reduction for every $100,000 in appraised value.
The city of Wichita and Sedgwick County are both working their budgets for the coming year, but have set lower mill levy rates.
The city is lowering its mill levy for the first time in decades, from 32.816 mills to 32.316 mills. That’s $5.75 in savings for every $100,000 in appraised value.
Sedgwick County is lowering its mill levy to 27.881 mills from 28.659 or $8.95 in savings for every $100,000.
All combined, that’s $31.95 in savings for every $100,000 in appraised value for residential property owners.
But those savings are likely to be captured by very few residential property owners in the Wichita school district, which is keeping its mill rate the same for the next two years. The Eagle calculated possible tax savings in this school district because it is the largest in the county.
Anyone whose residential property appraisal increases more than 2.14% would not see a tax break. Last year, only 0.66% of residential property owners in that area saw their home appraisal increase by 2.14% or less. Last year, 9.7% of commercial properties saw a 2.14% or less increase in their appraised value.
Calls for property tax relief have grown in recent years as appraised values continue to climb.
Nearly nine out of 10 residential property owners in Sedgwick County saw an increase in their appraised values this year, with a 9% median increase.
And although the local governments have lowered their mill levy rates, some still caution that it’s not enough for property owners.
“It is symbolic,” Wichita council member Mike Hoheisel said at a recent budget meeting. “If we want to do it, let’s make sure that we do it to where it’s meaningful.”
The mill levy reduction comes as the city of Wichita is in the early stages of also considering a sales tax targeted at property tax relief. That reduction would apply only to property owners in Wichita.
“I think this is symbolic to our community that we’re moving in the right direction and hopefully building trust,” council member Dalton Glasscock said, “so when we go towards a sales tax referendum, they know that we’ll be reducing their mill by 10 to 12 mills moving forward as well.”
Contributing: Chance Swaim of The Eagle
This story was originally published August 17, 2025 at 4:58 AM.