The handouts ...... #mcre1

The figure of ~2,563 entities refers to a statewide total from Kansas Policy Institute (KPI) KORA requests in a 2023 report (not specific to Shawnee County alone).

Kansas has roughly 3,900 local taxing entities overall (cities, counties, townships, school districts, fire districts, cemetery districts, special districts, etc.). KPI obtained data on 2,563 of them regarding revenue-neutral rate (Truth in Taxation) compliance.

Shawnee County Taxing Entities

Shawnee County has its own list of taxing authorities (entities that can levy property taxes). The Shawnee County Clerk maintains an official PDF: "updated 2026 taxing authorities.pdf".

This list includes all entities that receive distributions from property taxes collected in the county. Exact counts vary yearly but typically number in the dozens to low hundreds for a county like Shawnee (including subdivisions and special districts), far fewer than the statewide total.

Common Categories and Examples of Taxing Entities in Shawnee County

Property tax bills break down levies across multiple layers. Typical entities appearing on Shawnee County tax statements include:

• State of Kansas (base levy, e.g., ~1.500 mills).
• Shawnee County (general county operations, e.g., ~48-50 mills).
• Cities/Municipalities:
  • City of Topeka.
  • Other cities/towns in the county (e.g., Auburn, Rossville, Silver Lake, etc.).
• Townships (e.g., Soldier Township, Tecumseh Township, etc.).
• School Districts (Unified School Districts or USDs, e.g.):
  • USD 501 Topeka Public Schools.
  • USD 345 Seaman.
  • Other USDs serving parts of the county.
• Libraries: Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library.
• Special Districts/Authorities:
  • Metro Topeka Airport Authority.
  • Metro Transit Authority.
  • Sewer districts (e.g., Sewer District 2).
  • Fire districts.
  • Cemetery districts.
  • Other special taxing districts (e.g., for parks, improvement districts, or economic development).
• Washburn University (higher education levy in some areas).
• Other possible entities: Community colleges, watershed districts, hospital or health districts, improvement districts (CIDs), or other special purpose entities.

Property tax bills show a "Tax Entity Breakdown" with specific mill levies and amounts for the parcel's location. The total varies by location (e.g., inside Topeka city limits vs. unincorporated areas).

For the most accurate, up-to-date comprehensive list for Shawnee County, download the Clerk's PDF or contact the Shawnee County Clerk's Office / Treasurer's Office. There is also a GIS resource showing "Taxing Units" with maps of levy variations.

If you have a specific tax parcel or property address, tools on the Shawnee County site (e.g., property tax search) can show the exact entities levying taxes on it. Let me know if you'd like help drafting a follow-up KORA request, summarizing the KPI report further, or analyzing specific levies!