By The Hutchinson Tribune Editorial Board
The Reno County Commission just completed their budget study session hashing out funding amounts for various outside agencies.
The term outside agencies refers to a broad range of local organizations who receive financial support from the county. Commissioners individually provided their preferred funding levels for each organization, and they collectively reached a compromise whenever there was not a majority who agreed on a dollar amount.
The process allowed for discussion, was transparent, and resulted in modest cuts of $83,000 from the total of all the requests, about a $31,000 reduction to the budget from the previous year.
Adam Stewart’s reporting from earlier this week provided a full accounting of the cuts and the recommendations of the commissioners.
Whenever we discuss taxes and government supported programs and services, our eye is toward finding a balance between funding what we need and want and living within our means.
In this instance, we applaud the thoughtful and prudent approach taken by the commissioners. When policymakers engage in reasoned discussion and reach compromise and consensus, the community gets better outcomes.
Of course, finding savings for the taxpayer is always welcomed.
The cuts are small, but right-sized. In some cases there isn’t much left to cut, as some of the organizations have seen big cuts in previous years. Perhaps most notable is TECH INC., which kept level funding from 2025 to 2026, but is down over 20% from three years ago.
Organizations like Reno County EMS, Horizon’s Mental Health Center and TECH Inc. provide critical services. Cuts in their funding risk merely shifting the burden to other sources of taxpayer funding.
Others, like StartUp Hutch and Greater Hutch, provide valuable return on investment and help grow the tax base.
While both economic development organizations requested increased funding, the Commission chose to maintain level funding for each. This is prudent in a year with a tight budget, but we note that investing in future growth is vital.
The Hutchinson Tribune publisher, Jackson Swearer, was formerly the executive director at StartUp Hutch.
Commissioners have made it clear that they like to see these outside agencies looking for funding from sources other than the county. We concur.
In most cases with these outside agencies, funding from the county is working alongside funding from other taxing entities as well as private grants and donations. The outside agencies have a responsibility to seek other funding as well whenever possible.
When support from the county is just one of a diverse set of funding sources for these organizations, they are more resilient and the community benefits.
This year, the commission found some short-term savings to taxpayers while maintaining investments in organizations that create a thriving community and attract new businesses and families to locate here.
If you believe one of the outside agencies deserves more support, consider volunteering your time or treasure to them directly.