Geary County Commissioners are preparing for an increase in the property tax levy for the County in 2016.

Commission Chairman Ben Bennett spoke Monday and said that currently the proposed budget includes a “hefty” property tax levy increase.

“I really don’t know exactly where we are until we get some of these things done, but right now it’s equal to last years increase,” said Bennett.

The County had to increase the property tax levy by 6.7 mills for 2015. The increases are being made necessary by State funding reductions.

Commissioner Florence Whitebread added that the City of Junction City has also approached them about an increase to the ambulance budget.

“What really concerns me is the amount that we’re being asked to fund from the city for the ambulance budget, which is a 41 percent increase from them,” said Whitebread. “If every one of our departments came up with an increase of that size we would have had a huge budget. I can’t imagine what created a 41 percent increase for us, and they didn’t have any answers.”

City Officials are expected to return next Monday with some answers to questions concerning that increase.

Whether the county property tax levy will go higher or the Commission can find ways to make some cuts is still to be determined.