Atchison County commissioners send dedicated 1% sales-tax question for EMS to Aug. 4, 2026 ballot

The Atchison County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously Nov. 25 to place a dedicated 1% countywide retailer sales tax question before voters on Aug. 4, 2026 to finance countywide emergency medical services.

During the meeting the chair read the resolution into the record, including the ballot language: “Shall Atchison County, Kansas be authorized to impose a dedicated 1% countywide retailer sales tax with all revenues to be derived therefrom to be retained by Atchison County and the revenues therefrom be used exclusively for financing countywide emergency medical services, EMS, including rescue operations, commencing on 01/01/2027 and expiring 10 years after commencement.” The board then moved, seconded and approved the resolution by a 3-0 vote.

Commissioners discussed word choices for the ballot and outreach materials. One commissioner urged the use of the term "dedicated" in the question to make clear to voters where the revenues would go and said campaign materials should explain how the sales tax would differ from property-tax revenue. That commissioner said, “we need to be very, very specific as to what our goal is ... because we can only say so much in the actual ballot.” The board agreed to clarify language and to circulate the final resolution and informational materials to partners and municipalities.

County staff and the county counselor reviewed statutory authority cited in the resolution — including KSA 12-187(b)(5) and related KSA provisions cited by the chair — and confirmed the Department of Revenue would administer collection and enforcement if the tax is enacted. The resolution specifies notice, certification and canvass procedures under Kansas law, and directs the county clerk and election officer to publish required notices.

The resolution as adopted sets an election date of Aug. 4, 2026, a commencement date of Jan. 1, 2027, and a 10-year expiration. The board also discussed preparing comparative budget materials for outreach that would illustrate how a 1¢ sales-tax shift could affect ad valorem (property) tax mills; staff said they could use existing budget figures as a template for those materials.

Next steps: the county clerk will publish required election notices, and commissioners said they will circulate final ballot language and informational materials to partners and stakeholders before the election.