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Pawnee County seeks voter approval to repurpose existing 1% sales tax for emergency services
Summary
House Bill 2,125 would let Pawnee County place a question before voters to dedicate up to an additional 1% in countywide sales tax revenue for health care and county-supported public safety, and proponents said the intent is to modify how an existing 1% is used rather than raise the overall burden.
The Committee on Taxation on an unspecified date heard testimony on House Bill 2,125, which would authorize Pawnee County to submit a proposition to voters to impose countywide sales tax authority of up to 1 additional percentage point, with revenue pledged for health care services and equipping county-supported public safety operations.
The measure’s reviser (Adam) told the committee the bill would allow Pawnee County to place a question on the ballot to impose “countywide sales tax authority in amount up to 1 additional percent” and to pledge revenue for health care and public safety, “including but not limited to the sheriff’s department, jail, emergency management, and emergency dispatch services.”
Proponents said the intent is not to increase the net tax burden on residents but to alter how the county’s existing dedicated 1% is spent. Dr. Michael Burdett, appearing by WebEx for Pawnee County, said the county has used the 1% sales tax since February 2009 for health care purposes and asked the legislature to allow the county to return to voters to modify allowable expenditures. “This would not increase the tax burden on the local citizens,” Burdett said. A county official appearing with him clarified, “So we’re not adding an additional 1%. We’re just modifying the 1 that we currently have.”
Committee members sought clarification about whether the bill creates a new, separate authority or would supplant the existing dedication under K.S.A. 12-187(b)(5). The reviser said the new provision specific to Pawnee County would be in addition to the general authority in K.S.A. 12-187(b)(5), and, as drafted, both provisions could conceivably apply. The reviser recommended the committee could research statutory interactions further before final action.
The committee recorded proponent testimony from Jay Hall of the Kansas Association of Counties in writing; there was no opposing or neutral testimony recorded in the hearing. After discussion the committee voted to pass HB 2,125 favorably and to place the bill on the consent calendar for floor consideration.
The bill as described would only grant Pawnee County the authority to seek voter approval; any imposition of tax would require the county to put a measure to electors and have that measure approved.
Votes at a glance: HB 2,125 — motion to pass out favorably; mover: Representative Hoheisel; second: Representative Howerton; outcome: passed by voice vote (individual member votes not recorded in transcript).
