First Published at Wichita.gov/Legal Notices on December 19, 2025 ORDINANCE NO.52-866 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF WICHITA, KANSAS CALLING FOR A SPECIAL QUESTION ELECTION FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUBMITTING TO QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF THE CITY OF WICHITA THE QUESTION RELATING TO THE IMPOSITION OF A ONE PERCENT (1.0%) CITY-WIDE RETAILERS' SALES TAX, PROVIDING FOR THE CALLING OF SUCH ELECTION TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2026, AND PROVIDING FOR THE GIVING OF NOTICE OF SAID ELECTION. WHEREAS, K.S.A. 12-187 et seq. (the "Act") authorizes the governing body of the City of Wichita (the "Governing Body") to submit to the electors of the City of Wichita the question of imposing a city-wide retailers' sales tax; WHEREAS, the Governing Body deems it advisable to authorize and provide for the calling of a special question election in the city for the purpose of submitting to the qualified electors of the city the question of imposing a special one percent (1.0%) city-wide retailers' sales tax to take effect July 1, 2026, and which will terminate no later than June 30, 2033. Such revenue shall be utilized for Public Safety, Homeless and Housing Services, the Revitalization of Century II and Convention Center Improvements, Property Tax Relief, and the Development and Construction of a New Downtown Public Performing Arts Center; and WHEREAS, in order to authorize such city-wide retailers' sales tax, it is deemed advisable to call for a special question election in the city to be held on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF WICHITA, KANSAS: SECTION 1. Public Purpose. It is hereby deemed necessary and in the best interests of the citizens of the city to assist with the financing of certain municipal operations including Public Safety, Homeless and Housing Services, the Revitalization of Century II and Convention Center, Property Tax Relief, and the Development and Construction of a New Downtown Public Performing Arts Center. SECTION 2. City-wide Sales Tax. In order to support the financing of the public services and facilities as set forth in Section 1, and in order to provide funds for these services, it is necessary and advisable pursuant to the authority of the Act to institute the city-wide retailers' sales tax. Collection of the city-wide retailers' sales tax, if approved by the electors of the city, shall commence on July 1, 2026, and will terminate no later than June 30, 2033. The implementation of the city-wide retailers' sales tax shall not be effective unless a majority of the qualified electors of the city voting on such proposition shall vote in favor thereof at a special question election to be held in the city for that purpose. SECTION 3. Special Question Election. It is hereby authorized, ordered and directed that a special question election shall be and is hereby called to be held in the city on March 3, 2026, at which time there shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the city the following proposition: PROPOSITION NO. 1 – CITY-WIDE RETAILERS' SALES TAX Shall the following be adopted? 1. Shall the City of Wichita, Kansas, be authorized, pursuant to K.S.A. 12-187 et seq., to impose a one percent (1.0%) city-wide retailers' sales tax to be effective July 1, 2026, and which will terminate no later than June 30, 2033, the revenues derived therefrom to be applied as follows? A. An amount not to exceed $225 million dollars of such tax applied to Public Safety costs for support of City police and fire facility construction and maintenance, the acquisition of vehicles, apparatus and equipment and other purposes related to providing Police and Fire Services for the City; B. An amount not to exceed $250 million dollars of such tax applied to pay the costs for Revitalization of Century II (not to exceed $25 Million) and Upgraded and Expanded Convention Center Improvements (not to exceed $225 Million); C. An amount not to exceed $150 million dollars of such tax applied for Property Tax Relief; D. An amount not to exceed $150 million dollars of such tax applied to establish a restricted-special fund, with earnings from such fund to be reinvested into this special fund, to support Homeless and Housing Services by funding affordable housing projects and programs, shelter facilities, a multi-agency center and its operations and related services for people experiencing homelessness; and E. An amount not to exceed $75 million dollars of such tax applied for Development and Construction of a New Downtown Public Performing Arts Center. SECTION 4. Oversight of Sales Tax Revenue. Within ninety (90) calendar days following the special election approving the proposed sales tax, the City Council shall appoint a Citizens Oversight Committee. The committee is to review projects, monitor revenue, and audit expenditures from sales tax revenue. Additionally, the committee shall: A. Provide at least one independent financial audit annually to the public and City Council. B. The Committee shall meet at least two times during each calendar year. At the discretion of the committee, it may meet more frequently as required to provide oversight of sales tax expenditures. C. Each member shall be a resident of the City of Wichita. Members shall not be excluded from serving on the committee due to appointments to other city boards and committees. D. Membership shall consist of no more than 15 members. E. Members may not be current city employees or elected officials or relatives of current employees or elected officials. This exception shall not apply to current employees who are public safety union representatives, if such individuals are appointed by the City Council. F. Members shall serve a term of three years or until their replacement is appointed. Members may be reappointed for up to three terms, or until sales taxes are no longer being collected by the Department of Revenue. G. The Committee shall elect a chairman and co-chairman to facilitate the operation of the committee. A city staff member shall be designated to serve as a secretary for the committee. H. The Committee shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Kansas Open Meetings Act, K.S.A. 75-4317, et seq. I. The purpose of the committee is not to make funding determinations regarding which projects or activities should be funded with sales tax revenue. The scope of the Committee's review is to verify that projects funded with sales tax revenue are consistent with the purposes and uses of such revenue as approved by Wichita voters. J. The Committee shall be dissolved automatically when the sales tax expires, and revenues are no longer being collected by the Department of Revenue. SECTION 5. Special Question Election Procedures. The votes at said special question election shall be by ballot, and the proposition stated above shall be printed on the ballots, together with voting instructions as provided by law. The City Clerk shall cause the Sedgwick County Election Commissioner to give notice of the election as provided by law by publishing a Notice of Special Question Election, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, once each week for two (2) consecutive weeks on the City of Wichita's website, as its official newspaper, with the first publication to be not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the date of the special question election, and the last publication being not more than forty-five (45) days prior to the date of the special question election. The Notice of Special Question Election shall be submitted to the Sedgwick County Election Commissioner no later than January 5, 2026, for such publications.   SECTION 6. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect and be in full force from and after its adoption by the Governing Body of the City of Wichita, Kansas, and publication once in the official newspaper of the City. PASSED by the governing body of the City of Wichita, Kansas, this 16th day of December, 2025 Lily Wu, Mayor ATTEST: Shinita Rice, City Clerk Approved as to Form: Jennifer Magaña City Attorney and Director of Law IPL0299816 Dec 19 2025