The city’s governing body, consisting of the nine council members and Mayor Michelle De La Isla, plans to consider scheduling a citywide Nov. 6 ballot question election on whether to extend the current citywide half-cent tax for 10 years, through Oct. 1, 2029.
The proposal would arrange for revenue from the renewed tax, like the current one, to be allowed to go only to cover “costs of maintenance and improvements of existing streets, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, alleys and street lighting.”
Topekans in April 2009 voted 57 percent to 43 percent to approve the current 10-year tax. It began Oct. 1, 2009, and expires Oct. 1, 2019.
City manager Brent Trout had initially suggested the city increase the tax to three-quarters of a cent and revise the rules to allow flexibility for revenue to be used to carry out additional work, but he indicated earlier this month that public feedback had convinced him to drop those requests.
(Read more: News – The Topeka Capital-Journal)