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Wichita council votes to put 1% ‘Wichita Forward’ sales‑tax question on March ballot after heated debate
Summary
After hours of public comment and council debate, Wichita leaders voted unanimously to place the Wichita Forward 1% sales‑tax measure on the March 3, 2026 special election ballot, adding a council‑directed resolution requiring private matching before public money for the performing‑arts portion is spent.
Wichita City Council voted 7‑0 on Dec. 16 to place a proposed 1% local sales tax — the Wichita Forward package — before voters in a special election March 3, 2026. City Manager Bob Layton and representatives of Wichita Forward outlined a seven‑year plan that would raise an estimated $850 million and allocate funds for public safety capital, homelessness and housing services, Century II and convention center improvements, property‑tax relief and a new downtown performing arts center.
The council’s action followed a lengthy second‑reading presentation by City Manager Bob Layton and detailed questioning by council members about how relief for low‑income households would be handled. Staff offered one option using the state Low…
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