Chamber Vision November and December 2017 | Page 12

12 November & December 2017
Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau
Board Supports extension of .5% Sales Tax
allocation or 49% has been ber 2016 for Emporia and Lyon
Directors meeting, the board voted split between the aquatic County is over $917,000,000
to support the extension of the .5% center bonds of $4,514,275, in new investment in building
sales tax. or 10½ % and the industrial and business equipment, the
development sales tax fund of construction of over 2,245,000
$16,407,990, or 38½ %. The square feet of buildings, and
industrial development sales over 2,000 new jobs.
At the October 23, Board of
They felt it was important for
our members and the community
to know that this is not a new tax
tax fund is split between two
but rather a ten-year extension
categories – land, grants & in-
of an initiative first proposed
frastructure, and RDA market-
and passed by Emporia voters in
ing & operations.
1994. This tax has helped keep
our property taxes lower. It is
•
The Emporia City Commission
estimated that the dollar amount has dedicated 51% to lowering
that goes towards property tax property taxes, and 49% to
reduction equals 8 to 9 mils. The Industrial and Economic De-
City Commission has unanimously velopment.
approved placement of the
proposal on the November 7th
•
Development Association of
Here are some facts about the
East Central Kansas (RDA) the
.5% sales tax:
following companies have lo-
cated in Emporia - Better Life
This is not a new tax, it is a
Technologies, CAMSO, Hill’s
continuation of a tax.
Pet Nutrition, Holman Distri-
The ½ cent City Sales Tax
bution, Hostess Brands, Nor-
began on January 1, 1995. In
folk Iron and Metal, Simmons
the past 21 years $42,524,047
Pet Food, Pratt Industrial, and
has been collected, 51% or a
Dynamic Distribution.
total of $21,601,782 has been
allocated to lower city property
taxes. The other $20,922,265
Through the proactive mar-
keting efforts of the Regional
ballot.
•
The Ballot will read as follows:
•
The Return on Investment
from January 1 995 to Decem-
Ballot issue: Shall a retailers’
sales tax in the amount of one-half
of the one percent (0.5%) be levied
in the City of Emporia, Kansas
(the “City”), to take effect January
1, 2025 and upon expiration of
the City’s current one-half of one
percent (.5%) sales tax levied by
Resolution No. 3464, such tax to
be used for general governmental
purposes including providing
funds to (a) promote industrial
and economic development in
the city and (b) reduce the city
levied property taxes, provided
that such retailers’ sales tax shall
terminate on December 31, 2034,
all pursuant to K.S.A. 12-187, et
seq, as amended? Yes _____ or
No ______