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Congratulations to the Sedgwick County Zoo for being selected as the Spirit of Wichita award winner at the annual Chamber Honors Dinner. We are very proud of the number one tourist attraction in the State of Kansas. Way to go, Sedgwick County Zoo!
As a member of the Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WAMPO), I will be serving on the new Electric Vehicle Planning Team. As this technology matures, we need to be sure we have the infrastructure in place to meet future needs. I am pleased to be able to help shape the plans for the future needs of our community.
Sedgwick County is at the beginning stages of developing the 2024 budget. Public safety is always our top priority, and our first responders are facing more and more pressure because of the increase in mental health issues and drug abuse in our community. At the same time, we have an aging population, health issues, and the cost of any construction is rapidly increasing. Inflation is eating into everything we do, as citizens and as a county government. Sedgwick County budget decisions touch everyone’s lives in many ways. Cuts to programs impact people - maybe not you directly, but others in the community are harmed. That makes decisions as we move through the budgeting process very difficult.
Changes in funding that Kansas counties are supposed to receive from the state to reduce the property tax burden on citizens are also impacting our budgeting process. Two programs, the Local Ad Valorem Property Tax Reduction (LAVTRF) and the County City Revenue Sharing (CCRS) funds, were part of an agreement between the state and local governments that involved the loss of revenue sources in exchange for the establishment of these funds. LAVTRF was established by KSA 79-2959 and is supposed to transfer 3.63% of state sales and use taxes to cities and counties. That amounts to an estimated $8,806,350 in 2021. CCRS was established by KSA 79-2964 and is supposed to transfer 2.823% of the state sales and use taxes to cities and counties. That amount in 2021 would have been approximately $15,350,690. The fact that the legislature has not transferred those funds, despite being part of state statutes, does impact your property tax bill because local property taxpayers must now make up that difference.
Several improvements are now planned for the intersection at 21st St. and 167th West. Public Works and I have decided on some added safety measures, but lead times for ordering the items necessary to implement those improvements may impact the installation timeline. We are working on providing safe roads for our community.
As always, it is an honor to serve the citizens of District 3 and the entire county. If you have questions, do not hesitate to contact me.
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