Sales tax vote is about solving problems, not winning an argument | Opinion

One of the hardest lessons I’ve learned came not from an economist, but from one of Kansas’ great statesmen: Bob Dole. He reminded us that while there are no easy answers, there are simple truths.

As Kansans, if we are serious about solving real problems, rather than winning the next argument, then truth must come before narrative.

Right now, Wichita is surrounded by inconvenient facts. Property taxes continue to rise, putting pressure on homeowners, renters, and small businesses alike. Public safety infrastructure is aging after years of deferred maintenance.

Homelessness, both its human cost and its fiscal cost, has grown into a persistent and expensive challenge that no amount of wishful thinking will solve.

These are not ideological claims. They are documented realities, reflected in city budgets, capital improvement plans, and the lived experience of residents across income levels.

After more than a decade working in public finance and taxation, I have learned another simple truth: cities may delay costs, but they cannot escape them.

Obligations left unfunded do not vanish. They return, usually larger, usually more painful, and they are almost always paid for through higher property taxes, higher fees, or both.

That reality is what led me to study the Watch Wichita Win proposal, which would enact a 1% city sales tax for seven years if approved by voters in a special election on March 3.

I approached this issue with a single, simple question: Compared to the likely alternative path Wichita faces, how might this plan change the tax pressure on residents over time?

I approached this as an economist focused on fiscal impacts. I approached it the same way I always have, including when I created the Citizen-Led Wichita Exchange: by following the data, testing assumptions, and being honest about tradeoffs.

I’ve created analytical instruments, grounded in more than a dozen peer-reviewed studies in public finance and housing economics.

The research behind those models is neither novel nor controversial.

Public finance literature has long shown how property taxes are passed through to households, how local sales taxes are partially paid by non-residents, and how cities without dedicated revenue eventually rely on future tax and fee increases.

These are empirical observations, not talking points.

Yet instead of engaging with that evidence honestly, too much of Wichita’s public debate has defaulted to toxicity. And that I worry this is how we lose our way.

Too often, debate centers on winning arguments rather than understanding tradeoffs.

Instead of examining assumptions and definitions carefully, we talk past one another, and filter message through prior loyalties.

When that happens, we miss the opportunity to clarify real disagreements and focus on facts.

This is not skepticism. It is avoidance.

When we refuse to search for the truth, we stop teaching and start telling people what we think they want to hear.

That may be politically safer, and perhaps emotionally satisfying; it is also civically corrosive.

Wichita doesn’t need more opinions; it needs more good-faith inquiry, like what we’ve seen with the Braver Angels debate.

A good faith inquiry acknowledges that this sales tax plan isn’t pretending it’s perfect or beyond criticism.

It acknowledges what the data says about Wichita’s fiscal trajectory and charts a path to address it.

Property taxes are among the most destabilizing taxes households face, particularly for those on fixed incomes.

Broadening the base, asking visitors and commuters to share responsibility, and pairing investments in public safety and homelessness with spending caps and citizen-led audits is an evidence-based approach, not a partisan one.

Most importantly, I support the process.

Wichita deserves an honest vote grounded in fact, not fear.

I am neutral in the sense that I am not selling a political brand, but I am not neutral about truth.

I believe in Wichita, and based on the evidence, this plan offers a credible path to addressing real problems while avoiding future property tax hikes.

If we want better outcomes, we must demand better thinking from ourselves, from our leaders, and from those who shape the public narrative.

As Bob Dole once said, “The American people are not stupid. If given the facts, they will make the right decision.”

Wichita deserves that respect. Truth first. Politics second. That is how Wichita moves forward.

— Michael Austin is the Founder and Principal Economist at Knowledge & Decisions Economic Consulting.

This story was originally published February 19, 2026 at 12:41 PM.