Manhattan voters to decide on half-cent sales tax for street maintenance | Elections

Manhattan voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to approve a 0.5% citywide sales tax dedicated to funding street maintenance, a proposal city officials estimate would generate $8 million annually and about $80 million for repairs over its 10 years.

The Manhattan City Commission unanimously approved placing the measure on the ballot Aug. 18. If approved, the tax would take effect April 1, 2027, replacing the city’s existing 0.2% dedicated street sales tax, which expires March 31, 2027.

The proposed tax would run through March 31, 2037, and increase the city’s dedicated street sales tax rate by 0.3 percentage points. City officials estimate the increase would generate an additional $5 million annually compared with the current tax.

Under the proposal, about $6 million annually, or 75% of the revenue, would initially go toward repairing, rehabilitating and reconstructing neighborhood streets. The remaining $2 million would fund maintenance of arterial and collector streets, which serve as major routes through the city.

The allocation could change as the city evaluates future maintenance needs and develops successive five-year plans throughout the proposed 10-year tax period.

City manager Danielle Dulin said the additional funding would supplement existing street maintenance resources and help improve the condition of Manhattan’s road network.

The city’s pavement condition index, a measure of pavement quality, declined from 70 in 2016 to 60 in 2025, despite approximately $51 million invested in the street network through the existing 0.2% sales tax over the past decade.

City officials project the proposed tax would help return the pavement condition index to approximately 70.

The funding would support repairs and reconstruction performed by city crews, as well as work contracted to private design and construction companies. Eligible projects could include public streets, drives and parking lots.

City administration anticipates preparing and proposing a five-year street maintenance plan annually for city commission approval, with yearly updates on spending and progress.

Dulin said the city would conduct an educational campaign leading up to election day to inform residents about the condition of local roads and projected maintenance needs. The effort would include presentations to community groups.

The Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce has voiced support for the proposal.

Trey Kuhlmann, the chamber’s external affairs director, described reliable roads as an essential investment in Manhattan’s economy and quality of life.

If voters approve the measure, the total sales tax rate in Riley County would rise to 9.45% beginning April 1, 2027.

The ballot question will ask voters whether Manhattan should be authorized to impose a 0.5% general citywide retailers’ sales tax for street infrastructure maintenance for 10 years.

If voters approve the measure, the city commission would need to adopt an ordinance levying the tax and submit it to the Kansas Department of Revenue before Jan. 1, 2027, to allow the new rate to take effect April 1 without a gap in dedicated sales tax funding.