Budget discussion and property taxes
Mayor Wynn Butler asked Manhattan city commissioners Tuesday to state whether they will support property-tax increases during upcoming budget discussions.
Commissioner Usha Reddi pushed back, calling Butler’s question unfair.
“For the past seven years, you want us to say one way or the other without getting all the information,” Reddi said. “Let’s get all the information and then decide.”
Commissioner Linda Morse says she will also avoid taking a stance until she has more information.
Commissioner Aaron Estabrook says that while he is not against raising property taxes, he does not want people to think he is completely for it at this time.
“I’m not taking that off the table until we find what is sustainable,” Estabrook said.
Butler says he will not support property-tax increases and instead believes the city should focus on opening businesses back up and improving economic development.
“I’ve been here ten years and I’ve always voted no to property tax (increases),” Butler said. “That doesn’t surprise city staff at all because I’ve been very consistent and voted no every time, except once when we actually lowered it.”
Butler also called out other commissioners for having a track record of voting in favor of property-tax increases, with the exception of Estabrook and Commissioner Mark Hatesohl, who were just recently elected to the commission.
The discussion occurred after city officials discussed the need for more reliable sources of revenue.
Sales-tax revenue, which made up about 27 percent of general-fund revenue in 2020, has remained relatively stagnant over the past five years.
Jason Hilgers, deputy city manager, continued to emphasize (as he has in past meetings) that only a small portion of what Manhattan residents pay in property taxes goes to the city. The majority is split up between the state, school districts, police departments, etc.
Riley County crime rates compared to the state
Dennis Butler, Riley County Police Department director, told the Manhattan City Commission Tuesday that crime rates in Riley County have been relatively low over the past several years.
“Every year from 2003 to 2019, the Riley County crime rate was lower than the state average overall in both violent and property crime,” Butler said.
Butler’s report was on behalf of a request from Kansas 67th District representative Mike Dodson. The request was in response to a proposed state bill allegedly aiming to replace RCPD with a Sheriff’s office.
Dodson says that the proposed bill is no longer being considered.
According to Butler, this is likely not the first time such a bill has been proposed.
Commissioner Mark Hatesohl asked Butler if less crime in general is being reported, referencing low rates in 2019 across multiple jurisdictions.
According to Butler, it is fairly common for jurisdictions to have unreported crimes.
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