Keep Healthcare in Stanton County - Vote "YES" for Stanton County Hospital.
A resolution of the board of county commissioners of Stanton County, Kansas authorized the levy of a tax proposed by the board of trustees of the Stanton County Hospital. The following will be on your November 4th, 2025 ballot:
Shall the following be adopted? Shall the Stanton County Hospital (the Hospital) levy a tax of eighteen and half (18.5) mills for the tax years 2027, 2028, & 2029 pursuant to K.S.A. 19-4606(c), for the purpose of operating, maintaining, equipping, and improving the Hospital?
Did you know?
- Our LTCU has been home to 95 residents since 1976
- Approximately half of our employees are Stanton County Residents
How much longer does the county have to pay on the bonds for the Hospital?
The county bonds for the building remodel will be paid off in 2029.
What is the value of a mill?
The value of a mill changes every year based on the value of property in the county. The 2026 assessed value of a mill is $34,949.
What is a mill levy?
• A mill is one-thousandth of a dollar ($0.001).
• The mill levy is the rate used to calculate property taxes.
• Formula: (Assessed Property Value × Mill Levy) ÷ 1,000 = Property Tax Owed
Why the Hospital is Requesting 18.5 Mills
Even if the mill levy stays the same, the dollars collected can change year to year because:
- Property values change.
- If countywide property values increase (due to reappraisals or new construction), the same mill levy generates more dollars.
- If property values decrease, the same levy generates fewer dollars.
- The tax base changes.
- New homes, businesses, or improvements add to the overall assessed value of property in the county, increasing revenue.
- If properties are removed or values decline, revenue decreases.
- Mill levy changes.
- If voters approve a new rate or a taxing entity adjusts its levy, the amount collected changes.
Real Example: Stanton County Hospital Mill Levy Revenue
- 2024: 17 mills generated $832,412
- 2025: 17 mills generated $660,307
- 2026: 17 mills generated $594,136
Key Point: Even though the mill levy remained at 17, the revenue declined due to changing property values and assessed values in the county.
To help maintain hospital operations and offset the declining revenue, the hospital is requesting 18.5 mills for upcoming years. Using the 2026 mill value of $34,949, 18.5 mills would equate to a projected amount of $646,556.
Key Takeaway
- A mill levy is a rate, not a fixed dollar amount.
- The actual money collected depends on the total assessed property values in Stanton County each year.
- This means revenue can go up or down over the three years of a levy, even if the rate itself does not change.
How many mills has SCH received in the past?
- 2019 SCH received = $1 million
- 2020 SCH received = $1 million
- 2021 SCH received = $1 million
- 2022 taxes received = $1 million (these funds were received in 2023)
- 2023 SCH received 7.12 mills = $500,000
What would happen without the tax funding?
Without continued tax support, there would be a forced reduction in services and possibly put the facility at risk for closure.
Can I attend Hospital Board Meetings?
Yes. Our meetings are open to the public. They are held on the 4th Wednesday of every month at 8:00 am in conference room at the facility.
Why do we need the funding?
Our facility is a Critical Access Hospital. Critical Access Hospitals are paid based on Medicare cost reimbursements by filing a cost report, which is similar to a tax
return. Because the LTCU is attached to our Hospital, (approximately 1 million dollars in cost per year) some overhead cannot be allocated to the Hospital. Therefore, this has a negative impact on the Hospitals' reimbursement.
If I have more questions who should I ask?
Give us a call at 620-492-6250 and ask for a member of the Admin Team (Camille, Rhonda, Brooke, Alyssa, Sarah or Jamie). You are welcome to stop by the hospital to meet in person.