By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
With more than 70% of the vote Tuesday in favor of the initiative, Great Bend citizens decided to renew the half-cent sales tax that assists with capital improvements, economic development and property tax reduction. There were 3,371 "yes" votes to renew the tax compared to 1,418 "no" votes.
Bringing in over $2.3 million, based off 2023 tax numbers, the renewal plays a big role in public safety, or fire and EMS upgrades. City Administrator Logan Burns said 20% of the sales tax goes to economic development.
"Not only from the capital improvements, the economic development side is big," said Burns. "There are so many events that get put on by this. Community Coordinator Christina Hayes and her events like Party in the Park...that's where some of this sales tax goes to help those events out."
For the rest of the tax, 45% goes toward capital improvements for fire and EMS and 35% for property tax relief.
With the renewal, Great Bend’s sales tax remains 8.7%. Great Bend’s rate is lower than nearby towns like McPherson at 9% and Hays at 9.25%.
"We're staying right there at 8.7%," said Burns. "El Dorado is at 7.5% and Hutchinson at 8.6%, from there you have Garden City and Dodge City where it just increases from there."
With property tax relief, the half-cent sales tax reduced Great Bend’s mill levy by more than 21 mills in 2023.