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Wichita City Council Approves 2016 Budget

Wichita.gov

The city of Wichita approved its operating budget for 2016 this afternoon, and unlike the proceedings of the county budget, little to no public backlash has surrounded the $227 million dollars approved for next year’s general fund.

City leaders were happy to announce that property taxes will not be increasing for the 22nd straight year.

City Manager Robert Layton says the city has listened to its citizens and will provide added funding for several areas of concern. That includes more money for planting trees, about $250,000 for “spot repairs” to residential streets and addressing illegal dumping, which he says affects many neighborhoods.

Credit Wichita.gov
A page from the Wichita proposed budget showing budget highlights

Layton said the city will use three departments to help combat illegal dumping—the Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department, Public Works and Utilities, and Parks and Recreation. The budget also includes funds to purchase additional body cameras for police officers.

The city’s bus system will receive $2 million in stopgap funding that will keep the system afloat for another year. Layton says if the city can’t find a new funding source in the future, 2017 will see massive reductions in service.

Potential funding cuts from the Sedgwick County Commission has led to complications in the city’s budget. The county wants to push $400,000 in funding for the Sedgwick County Day Reporting Center onto the city. The center provides an alternative to incarceration to low-level offenders. The county says the majority of the offenders are being sentenced in municipal courts.

Layton told city council members on Tuesday that meetings are being scheduled for those involved with the day reporting center to see if a similar program can be created.

The county is also planning to cut funding for the Wichita-Sedgwick County Planning Department—about $155,000 in total. Mayor Jeff Longwell asked Layton if any positions would be eliminated if the county goes through with the funding cuts. Layton responded that the 2016 budget “doesn’t anticipate” any staff reductions for the planning department.

The county will approve its operating budget at a meeting on Wednesday morning.