Johnson County Government: A Mercedes on the Outside, But a Jalopy Under the Hood

At first glance, Johnson County’s government may look like a well-oiled Mercedes Benz. But when you take a closer look, open the hood, and inspect the parts, you’ll find a jalopy with pieces barely holding together.

Here’s a glimpse under the hood, examining some of the internal workings of the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) from the session on
10-17-2024:

1. The Engine’s Struggling: The BOCC majority approved $3.9 MILL in taxpayer funds (from federal sources) for services that will be available to ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. This approval includes a prohibition on screening for citizenship, residency in Johnson County, and even criminal background checks. It raises the question: How is this funding benefiting the legal residents of our county?

2. Loose or Missing Belts: The BOCC majority also approved bringing forward $59 MILL in bonds (for a total of $93 MILL) to build a public health and mental health facility at 119th and Ridgeview. This new facility WILL COST YOU, the taxpayer, $7.5 MILL each year in principal and interest for the next 20 years. And yet, the county already owns a vacant 480,000 square foot CenturyLink building at New Century Airport. This building has sat empty for five years, costing us $1.5 MILL annually in maintenance alone. Why take on new debt when we have unused resources?
3. Leaking Fluids: Lastly, the BOCC approved an additional $7.7 MILL in bonds, bringing the total airport development debt on the east side to over
   $70 MILL. Despite rising costs, the majority refuses to adjust the payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT), which is locked in at 30 cents per square foot based on 2020 costs. In comparison, Olathe’s PILOT for a similar development on adjacent land is 83.5 cents per square foot—a rate 270% higher. This is a glaring example of corporate welfare that leaves the taxpayers footing the bill.

Once again, Johnson County government might look sleek and polished from the outside, but a deeper look reveals it’s far from efficient.