WHILE GENERAL SALES TAX REVENUE IS VIRTUALLY FLAT
General sales tax collections by Platte County are basically flat in 2025, but use tax collections are up a whopping 25 percent over last year.
That’s part of the data in the auditor’s recommended budget for 2026, as released by Kevin Robinson, county auditor.
Collections of the county’s half cent general sales tax is up only .68% through October, Robinson said. Normally, general sales tax revenue rises two to three percent per year, the auditor said recently.
The collected amount of $12,040,00 in general sales tax is about $303,500 less than the budgeted revenue, he said.
But use tax collections are a different story, rising by 25.3 percent over the prior year. Total use tax collections through October stood at $10,080,270. That’s an estimated $1,267,740 over budget.
Use taxes are collected on such things as out-of-state and online purchases.
Robinson said the 2026 estimate for use tax collections is reduced by $700,000, “adjusting for several 2025 one-off receipts.”
The county’s sales and use tax structure includes:
*General fund (half cent).
*Parks and stormwater (quarter cent).
*Roads tax (quarter cent).
*Law enforcement tax (quarter cent).
Robinson said through October, parks tax collections are up by 1.13 percent over 2024, roads tax collections are up .61 percent, and the law enforcement tax is up by slightly less than one percent, at .98 percent.
PROPERTY TAX LEVY
In September of 2024, the county commission reduced the county’s property tax levy from six cents per $100 assessed value to one cent per $100 assessed value. That one cent rate was renewed in September of 2025.
“Historically, approximately five of the six cents of the levy was designated for paying the county’s emergency responders radio system, which was paid off in 2024. Maintenance costs continue of approximately $336,000 in 2026,” Robinson writes in his recommended budget document.
Radio system equipment upgrades and related costs were presented by the sheriff’s office beginning with $2.6 million expenses in 2028, and totaling over $4 million by 2033. Due to tariffs and potential increases in prices, the commission moved up the upgrade schedule and initiated the contract in 2025, Robinson said.
SALARY INCREASES
In the auditor recommended budget, most county employees are slated for a five percent salary increase in 2026. Exceptions are juvenile office clerks and juvenile office deputies, who are recommended for a 16 percent hike.
It is noted that the sheriff’s office had requested a seven percent increase for commissioned officers and a 15 percent hike for sheriff’s office clerks, but the auditor’s recommendation is for five percent.
HEALTH INSURANCE
To manage costs, the county joined Midwest Public Risk (MPR) in 2024, saving about $800,000 annually. The auditor’s recommended budget projects a four percent increase in health insurance rates for 2026.
BOND RATING STILL
IN JUNK STATUS
Robinson’s report says the county’s bond ratings remains at Ba3 with Moody’s and “junk,” non-rated, with Standard and Poor’s and Fitch.
