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Wichita budget workshop shows potential 0.5‑mill levy cut; council debates timing and tradeoffs
Summary
City finance staff updated council on revised forecasts that narrow a $2 million 2026 gap to roughly $200,000 and proposed options including a 0.5‑mill property tax reduction, CIP public-art cuts, and a cost‑recovery study; councilmembers debated whether to reduce the mill levy now or reserve surplus funds for services and maintenance.
Mark Manning, director of finance, presented updated budget forecasts and options at a workshop and described a path to a balanced 2026 budget and a near‑balance for 2027.
Manning said forecasts presented on May 27 showed a general fund shortfall of roughly $2 million in 2026 and about $5.5 million in 2027. With staffing and expenditure reductions already modeled and updated valuation estimates from the county, Manning reported the city could be about $200,000 short in 2026 and about $1.0–1.3 million short in 2027 in the baseline scenario. He said county valuation estimates could add about $3.5 million annually under a flat levy, which could flip the forecast to a positive position for 2026–27.
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