Topeka adopts 2026 operating budget after amendments including transit funding and housing trust investments

The governing body approved the City of Topeka’s 2026 operating budget on Sept. 16 after extensive public comment and a series of amendments that shifted one-time funds to transit, housing and other priorities.

Josh MacInarney, division director of budget and finance, told the governing body the budget must be submitted to the county clerk by 5 p.m. Oct. 1 and that the action before the council was to adopt and appropriate the operating budget for fiscal 2026.

Public comments preceding the council debate stressed two recurring themes: support for Topeka Metro’s request to avoid route cuts and community calls to fund the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and a new community-violence intervention effort. Candice Stiles, a member of the Topeka Metro board, said the agency faces a $300,000 shortfall after a revenue-neutral hearing and that a loss of $250,000 would force a route cut. Kalani Britt, speaking for the neighborhood coalition Topeka Jump, asked the council to earmark $2 million in the 2026 budget for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and $2 million for the new community-violence intervention program; council members and staff said they were considering smaller, one-time bridging allocations while the city and partners develop sustainable revenue sources.

Amendments and outcomes

- Topeka Metro: Councilman Dobler moved — and the council approved — an amendment that places $250,000 in the miscellaneous non‑departmental line of the general fund to be transferred to Topeka Metro for service restoration. The amendment drew broad council support and passed 10–0. Supporters said $250,000 would preserve 1 bus route for a year and spare riders on low incomes and those without cars from losing service.

- Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF): Councilman Miller proposed shifting $100,000 from economic-development funds into the AHTF. After motion and debate about a longer-term funding strategy for housing, the council approved that amendment; the motion passed with 8 yes votes and recorded opposition by Councilmembers Valdivia Acala and Banks. Multiple council members and speakers emphasized that the $100,000 is a one-time bridge and does not replace a sustainable revenue plan, and council members left open further budget amendments and a January retreat to craft long-range funding options.

- Police contract funding (Lexipol) and forfeiture fund: The council voted to move recurring Lexipol contract costs from the general fund to the law‑enforcement forfeiture fund for 2026. Staff noted the forfeiture fund balance is sizable and could absorb the 2026 cost, though recurring use raises sustainability questions for future years. The council approved the reallocation unanimously.

- ADA consultation and energy audit: Staff reported the city secured a KDHE reimbursement grant to fund an accessibility assessment and energy audit of city facilities. Because the grant would reimburse the outlay, councilors treated the item as net neutral for budget purposes and did not remove the project.

- Parking: Councilman Duncan moved to retain two‑hour metered parking on Eighth Avenue between Kansas and Jackson through Dec. 31, 2026 to support downtown businesses; council accepted a staff estimate that the change reduces parking fund revenue by about $25,000 and the amendment passed (7 yes, 2 no, 1 abstain).

- Internal investigator FTE: The council approved transferring the internal-investigator FTE from the city attorney’s office to the city manager’s office to create an office for municipal integrity and to align investigative reporting with administrative oversight; the item passed 10–0.

- Chief Financial Officer (CFO) funding: Council agreed to restore recurring funding for a CFO position by reallocating $130,000 of previously proposed expenditures (the budget line for e‑citation enhancements) and thereby preserved the city’s ability to recruit for the position; the motion passed unanimously.

Councilmembers repeatedly emphasized that many of the decisions were one‑time fixes pending a longer-term set of choices: the council directed the city manager and finance director to continue developing sustainable revenue options and to bring further amendments during the CIP (capital improvement plan) review and at a planned January retreat. Councilwoman Hiller proposed an explicit goal that the council and city manager identify an additional $2.35 million in reductions or revenue by Feb. 18, 2026 to address outstanding structural deficits; council discussion left the timeline and targets for additional reductions as a working item for the months ahead.

Final adoption and vote

After the amendments, a motion to adopt the operating budget as amended was moved by Councilman Dobler and seconded by Councilman Miller. The governing body approved the 2026 operating budget as amended by a recorded vote of 8–2 (Councilmembers Hiller and Hofer voted no).

What’s next: staff will submit the approved budget to the Shawnee County clerk by the Oct. 1 statutory deadline and will return with implementation steps, corrective options for structural deficits and tracking reports. Councilmembers said they expect to pursue additional budget work during the CIP process and at a January council retreat.