TOPEKA (KSNT) – Shawnee County commissioners voted to finalize the 2026 operating budget on Monday, which included budget adjustments for various departments and an increase to property taxes.
The Board of Shawnee County Commissioners voted unanimously on Sept. 22 to approve the 2026 budget following a motion by Commissioner Aaron Mays. The final 2026 county budget, after adjustments, was $151.66 million compared to $145.57 million in 2025.
The county will be raising its mill levy by 4.14% for a final mill levy of 48.917, a 0.591 mill increase from the year prior. This will result in an increase in taxes of approximately $59 for a $100,000 home.
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The county trimmed various department budget requests to meet its revenue-neutral rate. The following table shows the final budgets for each department and the percent change from 2025 to 2026:
| Law Enforcement | |||
| Department | Final Budget | Percent Change | |
| Counselor | $994,562 | 9% | |
| Community Corrections | $1,610,874 | 26% | |
| Department of Corrections | $39,855,216 | 10% | |
| District Attorney | $8,782,720 | 11% | |
| District Courts | $3,161,737 | 0% | |
| Drug Court | $15,000 | 0% | |
| Emergency Management | $661,734 | 21% | |
| Safe Streets | $20,000 | 0% | |
| Sheriff | 26,540,589 | 9% | |
| Recreation | |||
| Department | Final Budget | Percent Change | |
| SVEC – Operating | $1,461,865 | 3% | |
| SVEC – Owner Building Expenses | $150,000 | 50% | |
| Fair Association | $102,600 | -5% | |
| Parks + Recreation | $19,211,896 | 3% | |
| Public Works | |||
| Department | Final Budget | Percent Change | |
| Appraiser | $2,426,496 | 0% | |
| Noxious Weeds | $455,674 | 7% | |
| Planning Department | $537,201 | 9% | |
| Public Works | $10,306,628 | 0% | |
| Register of Deeds | $383,354 | 9% | |
| Public Health | |||
| Department | Final Budget | Percent Change | |
| Ambulance | $420,000 | 11% | |
| Animal Shelter | $151,806 | 2% | |
| Community Resources | $40,000 | 0% | |
| Conservation District | $57,000 | 0% | |
| Coroner | $707,840 | 5% | |
| Health Department | $3,553,098 | 9% | |
| Healthaccess | $110,000 | 10% | |
| Extension Council | $654,550 | 2% | |
| VALEO | $3,000,000 | 9% | |
| TARC | $1,059,951 | 0% | |
| Service Programs for the Elderly | $773,764 | 0% | |
| Social Service Grants | $258,500 | 0% | |
| Administrative Services | |||
| Department | Final Budget | Percent Change | |
| General Expenses | $5,151,248 | -2% | |
| Contingency | $1,000,000 | 0% | |
| Capital Outlay | $2,500,000 | 14% | |
| Audit Finance | $709,915 | 8% | |
| Board of County Commissioners | $643,477 | 8% | |
| County Clerk | $1,030,684 | -2% | |
| Elections | $2,312,195 | 29% | |
| Facilities Management | $1,389,966 | 2% | |
| Human Resources | $726,778 | 4% | |
| Information Technology | $5,150,936 | 12% | |
| Treasurer | $730,958 | 1% | |
In addition to approving the budget, the board approved a motion to add $50,000 to the Counselor’s Department budget to hire a lobbyist for the county.
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