The good news: the city of Wichita's 2027 general fund and budget is projected to be balanced in 2027.
Now the bad: deficits are forecast in 2028, perhaps around $5 million. The city will have added expenses next year and beyond, with new Fire Station 23 and its 14 fire fighter positions.
The council will decide how much assessed property valuation the city will capture in 2027. The council cut the mill levy last year as they adopted the 2026 budget.
Council member Mike Hoheisel recommended the city capture the full amount, meaning no tax cuts. Council member Dalton Glasscock however advocated for property tax relief.
The recommended budget and the first public hearing will take place July 14. The city must notify the state by July 20 whether they intend to exceed the revenue neutral rate. Two more public hearings are ahead on August 4 and 18, with the final hearings on the budget and RNR in an evening meeting on August 25, prior to budget adoption.
The city plans to break ground on Fire Station 23 either late this summer or early fall.
The council spent a large part of the workshop discussing homelessness.
The number of people who are newly homeless has grown by 147% over last 6 years. The fastest growing population of homeless were seniors over the age of 65, a number that has doubled during that same time.
The city, the United Way of the Plains, and many other organizations, continue to work to address homelessness challenges and agree that more resources are needed.
A count taken in January estimates that nearly 860 people are homeless in the city, while the United Way believes the number is higher.
Repairs continue at the new Northwest water treatment facility. The city says contractors have a few more parts to install at the plant. Coating repair work continues as well, despite recent weather challenges.
The plant was restarted on June 16 and some testing began on the 21st. The city will continue testing through the summer months and will most likely take ownership of the plant this fall.
