Topeka, Kansas Half Cent Sales Tax Extends For Another Decade

Topeka residents have voted to extend the city's 1/2% sales tax for another 10 years.  Residents cite the main reason for allowing the 1/2% sales tax to continue is in hopes of wrapping up ongoing road work in the coming years.  

Residents say that there is a lot more traffic in the Topeka area these days, and road improvement projects are needed to help improve traffic flow and make the roadways less congested and easier to travel.

The good news is that the extension of the 1/2% tax will soon make up 52% of all funds in the Topeka budget to fix roadways.  This will allow roads to be fixed more rapidly and upkeep to continue.  Many believe that the tax passed by such a significant margin because people WANT to see roads in better repair.  They want to reap the benefit of their tax dollars and fixing roadways seems like a reasonable way to spend tax money. 

Roadwork still may not go as rapidly as locals would like it to.  People will have to be patient to allow the city time to organize and get all the projects underway as well as allowing time to complete them once they get started.  However, the city intends to create a full schedule of projects that need to be completed in order to use the money most effectively.  Given the appropriate amount of patience and time, this might well be another tax that passes again in 2029!