HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Many in Hutchinson feel that the taxes are by far the highest in the state. While the numbers could always be better no matter where you live, Hutchinson and Reno County are better than a lot of comparable areas.

Yes, Reno County is ranked 19 out of 105 counties when it comes to the median tax rate at $1,394. That compares with Harvey County at $1,418, Butler County at $1,787; Douglas County at $2,221; Ford County at $1,437; McPherson County at $1,550; Leavenworth County at $ $2,064 and Franklin County at $1,536. These counties are similar in size to Reno. Sedgwick County is not included since it is, by far, the highest median property tax payer in the state.

Then there’s sales tax. One thing is for sure, Hutchinson does have a high sales tax rate, and with such a low one in neighboring Sedgwick County, it is hard to resist the temptation to make the drive to Wichita to shop. But if you look at similarly sized cities, Hutchinson isn’t too bad.

The non-CID tax rate in the city is 9.1 percent. That includes the ¼ cent sales tax that has been in place since 1994 and approved for renewal by a public vote three other times. It comes back for a vote this fall. It also includes the sales tax for the new jail and the sales tax for the Sports Arena. Both of those will go off the books within the next 8 years. Sales tax rates in similar communities include: Ark City at 9.2 percent; Gardner at 9.4; Junction City at 9.7; Leavenworth at 9.5; Leawood at 9.1; Lenexa at 9.3; McPherson at 9.0; Newton at 8.5; Liberal at 9.2; and Pittsburg at 9.2 percent. Twenty-nine counties in Kansas have a higher sales tax rate than Reno County.

Many feel that the sales tax is stunting growth in Hutchinson, but Gardner, located in Johnson County, with its 9.4 percent sales tax, has a larger property tax median than Reno County and is one of the fastest growing communities in Kansas.