Wichita weighs $50 rebate for low-income families amid sales tax debate

Wichita is looking at reimbursing low-income families $50 annually as a result of additional cost burdens from a proposed one-cent sales tax.

The estimated $1.15 million annual cost of such a program would be taken from “projected sales tax revenues available for mill levy reduction,” according to an agenda report. The estimated $850 million in sales tax to be collected over seven years includes $150 million for property tax relief.

Council members gave their initial approval for a one-cent sales tax question to be placed on a March special election ballot. They’ll have an additional, and final, public hearing on the ballot question Tuesday.

The payment program was requested by council member Mike Hoheisel, who said at the council’s most recent meeting that he would not support putting the tax question on a ballot without it after council members found out that groceries would not be exempt from the tax.

“I have a lot of concern here, a lot of concern,” Hoheisel said at this week’s council meeting. “I also see this is probably going through and being the one chance that we have at funding homeless services, affordable housing and public safety, which are important to me. . . . (But) I have to make sure that we’re not going to be hitting people over the head who can’t take it.”

According to the city agenda report, the city may disburse an annual $50 payment to families who qualify for the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP).

The agenda report said that more than 23,000 households in Wichita qualify for the program.

The city agenda report did not go into detail on how families could apply for the program.

This story was originally published December 12, 2025 at 12:45 PM.