The Kansas Legislature is the culprit for the county mill levy going up next year, according to a resolution passed by the Labette County Commission on Monday.
After passing the budget for 2010 which calls for a seven mill hike, Commissioner Chairman Lonie Addis presented the resolution which gained unanimous approval by fellow commissioners Brian Kinzie and Jack Martin.
Included with the seven-mill increase was additional spending of more than $377,000 for 2010.
The commission held their budget hearing with no one in attendance except county employees and members of the press. The mill levy for the county is estimated at 54.385 mills and that rate will be finalized later in the year when final valuation figures are announced.
The current year’s levy is 47.493 mills.

Read the rest of the story in this week’s Labette Avenue.