June 8, 2021
Senate Bill 13 Affects Every Local Extension Unit
We have all probably been hearing rumblings of Senate Bill 13 and how it has changed the process by which an increase in tax dollars are determined at the county level. The new Senate Bill 13 affects all of our extension districts directly because they are required to go through the Revenue Neutral Rate (RNR) hearing process if increasing any funding for the district.
The bill could also have an indirect effect on our traditional county units in the event the county needs to increase taxes. June 15 is a new date in the county (and district) budgeting process, where county clerks are required to inform taxing entities of their Revenue Neutral Rate. The result is that county commissioners are working through the same process as extension districts and likely need your budget information a little earlier than normal. By July 20, the county commissioners must make a decision if they will be increasing county revenue. If so, the hearing process is modified from the traditional timeline.
The bill has essentially moved some of the budgeting decisions a little earlier in the process. However, the county commissioners have until October 1 to submit their budgets to the county clerk if increasing above the Revenue Neutral Rate, thus you may not have a fully approved county extension budget till after that time.