Here’s the ballot wording for Wichita’s sales tax question

If the Wichita City Council gives final approval Dec. 16, Wichita residents will be asked to vote on a sales tax increase in March.

The council voted unanimously on first reading Tuesday to hold a special election for a 1% sales-tax on all retail purchases in the city — including groceries.

The $850 million plan would set aside $25 million for Century II, the city’s convention and performing arts center, while dedicating $225 million to a convention center expansion and $75 million for a new, private-public partnership to build a $150 million performing arts center. Another $225 million would go to unspecified public safety capital improvement projects. $150 million would go to a nonprofit to run the city-owned Second Light homeless services — or any other “multi-agency center” — and an affordable housing fund, although the share of funding each of those projects would receive is unclear. $150 million would go to property tax relief.

Here’s what voters would see on the ballot on March 3:

1. Shall the City of Wichita, Kansas, be authorized, pursuant to K.S.A. 12-187 et seq., to impose a one percent (1.0%) city-wide retailers’ sales tax to be effective July 1, 2026, and which will terminate no later than June 30, 2033, the revenues derived therefrom to be applied as follows?

A. An amount not to exceed $225 million dollars of such tax applied to Public Safety costs for support of City police and fire facility construction and maintenance, the acquisition of vehicles, apparatus and equipment and other purposes related to providing Police and Fire Services for the City;

B. An amount not to exceed $250 million dollars of such tax applied to pay the costs for Revitalization of Century II (not to exceed $25 Million) and Upgraded and Expanded Convention Center Improvements (not to exceed $225 Million);

C. An amount not to exceed $150 million dollars of such tax applied for Property Tax Relief;

D. An amount not to exceed $150 million dollars of such tax applied to establish a restricted-special fund, with earnings from such fund to be reinvested into this special fund, to support Homeless and Housing Services by funding affordable housing projects and programs, shelter facilities, a multi-agency center and its operations and related services for people experiencing homelessness; and

E. An amount not to exceed $75 million dollars of such tax applied for Development and Construction of a New Downtown Public Performing Arts Center.

This story was originally published December 11, 2025 at 11:22 AM with the headline "Here’s the ballot wording for Wichita’s sales tax question."