OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — More than 200,000 people call Overland Park home, and city leaders say over the last decade, the population has grown by more than 10%.
"There’s wonderful schools here; there’s a lot of employers," said Meg Ralph, communications and media relations manager for the city of Overland Park. "Overland Park is building several hundred new multi-family and single units every year."
City staff continues to see more people coming to Overland Park, on average growing roughly by an increase of 800 households a year.
City leaders are banking on even more growth next year, so much so that the city’s yearly budget will have some flexibility for focused priorities.
"How that affects the budget, we have more revenue, but also more services we need to provide, more people we need to help," Ralph said.
While the city mill levee rate of 14.525 mills is staying the same, with more people moving in and updated Johnson County property assessment evaluations, there’s more money in the city’s budget.
"Nobody likes to see their taxes go up, but the city is making do with the same mill levee, the same tax rate we have always had," Ralph said.
So through growth, more sales tax, and property tax revenue, they’re expecting the 2025 annual revenue will be 8.4% higher than 2024.
So what also increased? The city’s 2025 proposed budget.
The total from Overland Park city leaders is $467.8 million for 2025's costs, an 8.6%. increase compared to last year.
So again because of the growth, that expected revenue, the money is earmarked for a few priorities.
Overland Park city leaders plan to first enhance public safety by adding more police support staff to move criminal cases through the court process quicker, equipping firefighters with thermal cameras, and more school crossing guards.
Next, more community resources, like increasing funding for emergency rent and utility help, and they'll spend the money with a focus on ensuring government accountability with more oversight staff and a solid waste study.
"For us, it’s maintaining essential services that we know residents absolutely move to Overland Park for and want to continue to have," Ralph said. “Award-winning fire and police services, emergency management when we have a big storm and they can help people, and just high-quality life things that people have come to know Overland Park for."
Several Overland Park residents spoke during the public comment portion to tell their council leaders that they were unhappy and concerned with the county's actions regarding the increased property assessment evaluations.
City council members made a point to say that they wanted to find a way to help residents and a rebate program was suggested.
The budget takes effect in January 2025.
More information on the City of Overland Park's budget can be found here.
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KSHB 41 reporter Megan Abundis covers Kansas City, Missouri, including neighborhoods in the southern part of the city. Share your story idea with Megan.
