[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6129696,"mediaKeyId","5745267-598a67cd95edf77d52d9b147f855c051","parentId",5745267,"title","Commenters say BPU \"pilot\" charge has been passed to customers; ask commission to correct practice","audioSeconds",172,"startMs",2687000,"endMs",2859000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5745267-598a67cd95edf77d52d9b147f855c051&start=2687&end=2859","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5745267-598a67cd95edf77d52d9b147f855c051/thumbnail_2687000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6129696/Commenters-say-BPU-pilot-charge-has-been-passed-to-customers-ask-commission-to-correct-practice","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6129696-d2af0cabf0bc4ced22ce287ab98b171e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775067453&Signature=AlCJEtMxLjEq4DvekZwhVAqTYSbaVM8nrNBhG7Xr~1aWfC1VUqqd4EpCvTVKLFjPbVIIimVpxjb9ddikm~mgn~3Uxtu40qHuiYv2aqqvslSyZN0xt6rABtgw4PCU2m8FzRs6Z~odNIzJWBbCS8Frdcr4Ebm12gue0Xli95Rz0eb5noLEayzRV4VWwFhMwoB6bIxuomZL44GoQPmRaffnWsvELcC4ep3m230kAs2S3WpgOejikAzNipmtVp1N3ykrQU28ysPGgycPk0Y3--PI3f9D6Z2Glj6uivLWrmNjvrubINLrDjb53TaZ2G9klM2FiiShe7xR426idl3ewMBDCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wyandotte County, KS","date","2025-08-27T05:02:34Z","article","A written submission read into the record Tuesday alleged that the BPU pilot — a payment in lieu of taxes intended to substitute for property tax on publicly owned utilities — has been passed through to customers as a line‑item fee in violation of state law and the UG charter.

Steve Sessions, writing on behalf of a civic group, said the county administrator previously acknowledged the collection method conflicted with the charter and that the pilot fee was supposed to be a transfer from BPU revenues to the general fund rather than a charge passed to ratepayers. \"According to the Kansas State statute governing pilot, this fee is intended as payment in lieu of tax for publicly owned utilities,\" the written comment read. \"The statute is also clear the fee cannot legally be passed on to the consumer. Yet in Wyandotte County, that is exactly what has been happening.\"

Sessions asked the commission to explain where the money collected through the line‑item has gone historically, to remove the fee from customer bills and to provide safeguards to prevent improper billing. He also asked the commission to provide a public response indicating how staff will correct any charter violations.

Clerk's office staff read Sessions' letter aloud as part of the public comment record; commissioners did not take immediate action on the request but several residents later referenced the pilot issue in their remarks. Commissioners and staff acknowledged receipt of many written comments and said they would follow up. Budget staff earlier in the hearing described the pilot as a dedicated revenue stream associated with the municipal utility and noted that pilot and rebate programs are part of ongoing budget conversations.

Ending: The commission did not vote on the pilot charge during the hearing. Sessions and other commenters asked for a formal written response from each commissioner; staff said public comments would be catalogued and answered as part of the record.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","8/26/2025 - Special Meeting (Public Hearing)","oneSentenceSummary","A recurring written public comment and multiple speakers told the commission that the BPU pilot fee has been applied as a line item on customer bills in a way they say conflicts with the governing charter and state statute; they asked for a formal response and remedy.","taxTitle","taxId",0,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},6129701,"Residents, churches and health groups press commission to fund shelters, affordable housing and public health",6294,3693000,9987000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5745267-598a67cd95edf77d52d9b147f855c051&start=3693&end=9987","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5745267-598a67cd95edf77d52d9b147f855c051/thumbnail_3693000.jpg","/articles/6129701/Residents-churches-and-health-groups-press-commission-to-fund-shelters-affordable-housing-and-public-health","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6129701-9bc43d2cddd5ab8ae43f8cc19d801b51/orig.mp4?Expires=1775067453&Signature=Ds6GUL3jbHpvC9vMfA~6SjFcIMKsc-8Vtl9Nugh8bZIRUAnOqLTi1kP361dfN03Jv~HSI~Gk~~CctD1Iz6PzMjPwc98q1CHXLEa22My4V7dSlH9ZnUZNR~qbSDVbIvQELH-DnXiziP6bEvQw-85Gmzdryrws1tDqhrR22HZeSnukzBVG3jmK5UuBKglw-KqUQD3-HV2TZvBCIQtE1IfolYqFekqlWjhITl5Ym20qizLT9TI6tHlvSfq8wBPoiGm604ZU314olpd1sQFumia7JwMdFJCAXDm~xiP9Jtqh1ZOwkZ4PmjRE7bLz~EnWMwyKKZiR9T4U4iQw7B9a4l81YQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dozens of residents and local organizations urged the Unified Government commission Tuesday to prioritize funding for affordable housing, homeless services and public health as the commission considered the 2026 budget.

Representatives of Churches United for Justice, community health advocates and national nonprofits delivered requests ranging from a predictable annual allocation to an Affordable Housing Trust Fund to a permanent, year‑round low‑barrier shelter and staffing for housing navigators. \"Choose stability. Vote to dedicate a real revenue stream to the affordable housing trust fund,\" Pastor Ron King of Mason Memorial Community Church said during his public comment representing Churches United for Justice.

Speakers asked the commission to pair housing dollars with utility relief and to preserve or restore funding for the livable neighborhoods program. Kathleen Easterwood, representing Churches United for Justice, urged the commission to fund same‑day housing navigators, flexible rapid‑rehousing funds and a monthly scorecard that would measure results and bottlenecks. \"Fund the basics and move people to housing and keep the focus on measurable results,\" she said.

Public health leaders asked the commission to restore staff positions that were cut in prior budget cycles and to invest in prevention. Kelly Nichols, community advocacy director for the American Heart Association Midwest, wrote that Wyandotte County \"is one of the least healthy counties in Kansas, but with targeted investment, it doesn't have to be.\" Erin Gabbert of the American Heart Association told commissioners that the county's high rates of hypertension and chronic illness mean investments in neighborhood programs and public‑health staffing can reduce long‑term costs.

Nikki Richardson, executive director of Justice for Wyandotte, framed public‑health and housing investments as alternatives to rising demand on the criminal justice system: \"If you allowed for our budget to hire the same number of social workers as police officers you were looking to hire, we wouldn't actually need those police officers or those sheriffs,\" she said.

Churches United for Justice submitted a set of concrete amendments and spending priorities in writing that were read into the record: a standing set‑aside for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, a no‑supplanting rule to prevent local dollars being replaced by outside grants, an income‑based utility affordability program and a dedicated share of post‑abatement tax growth to support housing preservation.

Speakers also requested that interest earnings on trust‑fund balances be credited back to the fund and that staff return with fiscal‑impact memos for proposed programs. Commissioners heard repeated appeals from seniors and long‑time homeowners expressing fear of displacement as assessed values climb.

Ending: Commissioners acknowledged the requests and budget staff said they will return with detailed budget action items and analyses during the upcoming workshops; advocates said they will follow the commission’s final vote with requests to codify funding streams.","During the budget hearing dozens of residents and organizations urged stable funding for an affordable housing trust, year‑round shelter capacity, health department staffing and programs such as the \"Healthy 33%\" initiative and livable neighborhoods.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},6129706,"Wyandotte County commission votes to exceed revenue-neutral rate for 2026 budget",9224,1214000,10438000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5745267-598a67cd95edf77d52d9b147f855c051&start=1214&end=10438","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5745267-598a67cd95edf77d52d9b147f855c051/thumbnail_1214000.jpg","/articles/6129706/Wyandotte-County-commission-votes-to-exceed-revenue-neutral-rate-for-2026-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6129706-8e2773f62228da22044819ae100c0f72/orig.mp4?Expires=1775067453&Signature=ocUJR-Znvgab9MRd5tlcrwV0Dn9Q9RrywjtblRPyR-lS-A0tI0QfLDxqHHRMzynyZmQCScqLU8RkbcHnLRshVY3BrRB6HsH8zaUKtnstig65dPlHVoZjB8dq99jd2PCcL3WqJRY9ILgm-kRiwkLRIOZJQYipBBujUnrafdFI8~~Bco-0pjR7r0cPRrht435jicOiOQCcGevZ9UCG0cQNBmKyqodZEUZcVAM4SGqjbIiNpIhEDujQ-sss6YOetzrMYwqJq0RAKs9BdCtZHTZxBiO5cXa~skMVREgyqAgz6C0Df4~F~hoKXjTmT1AI41el9bpene00sBWmiOm0LXtVgQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Unified Government Board of Commissioners voted 7–3 Tuesday to approve an ordinance and resolution authorizing the governing body to exceed the revenue-neutral rate for the proposed 2026 combined City and County budgets.

Budget Director Reginald Lindsey presented the proposed 2026 unified budget as a $509,000,000 plan that combines city and county funds and includes a recommended two‑mill increase in addition to expected assessed‑value growth. \"The 2026 budget that was proposed by county administrator Johnston is a $509,000,000 budget,\" Lindsey told the commission during the hearing.

The vote followed a nearly three‑hour public comment period in which dozens of residents, community groups and nonprofit leaders urged either that commissioners hold the line at revenue neutral or invest more in public health, affordable housing and services for seniors. Commissioners who supported exceeding revenue neutral said the additional revenue is needed to avoid deeper structural deficits and to maintain essential services.

Lindsey walked the commission through the revenue scenarios the budget office prepared: a revenue‑neutral city general fund would produce about $174 million in city tax revenues and a $182 million expense level, creating a structural imbalance of roughly $8.6 million and lowering the city fund balance toward 14 percent. The proposed budget assumes additional assessed valuation plus two mills, producing approximately $181 million in city revenues, shrinking the structural gap and yielding an estimated 18.5 percent fund balance in 2026. On the county side, a revenue‑neutral view showed a structural imbalance of about $10.4 million; the proposed county budget with two additional mills would narrow that gap to a modest positive balance, according to staff projections.

Commissioners voted on a single motion that covered both the city and county levies. In the roll call on the motion to adopt the ordinance and resolution approving the exceedance, the votes were recorded as follows: Tom Burrows — no; Townsend — yes; Burns — yes; Ramirez — yes; Hill — yes; Kane — yes; Lopez — no; Stites — no; Davis — yes; Bynum — yes. The final tally was 7–3 in favor.

Votes at a glance:
- Motion: \"Ordinance and resolution approving the Unified Government exceeding the revenue-neutral rate for both the City of Kansas City, Kansas, and Wyandotte County, Kansas for the tax year 2026.\" Mover: Ron King. Second: Commissioner Bynum. Outcome: approved, 7–3 (Burrows, Lopez, Stites opposed). Legal threshold/notes: motion adopted by majority vote; additional taxing entities (school districts, library, community college) set their own levies and may affect final taxpayer bills.

The commission also heard staff explain practical impacts on homeowners: with the proposed combination of assessed‑value growth and the two mills on both sides, staff estimated an increase of roughly $197 annually for a $200,000 home when both city and county levies are aggregated. Budget staff reminded the public that the notice mailed to property owners reflected the maximum mills the commission could consider; the budget proposal before the commission reflected two additional mills rather than the larger notice amount.

The commission scheduled additional budget workshops and action items during the statutory process. Lindsey noted upcoming steps including an 11th budget workshop and a scheduled vote on budget action items later in the week.

The vote concludes the public hearing phase before the commission moves to final budget actions; the ordinance authorizes the governing body to adopt a mill levy above the revenue‑neutral calculation when the commission later sets the final mill levies and adopts the budget.

Ending: Commissioners said they expect additional line‑item briefings and workshops in the coming days; the budget office told the commission the next firm action items are scheduled for later in the week and for the September meetings where related taxing entities will adopt their own budgets.","After a final public hearing with hundreds of public comments, the Unified Government commission voted 7–3 to approve a resolution and ordinance to exceed the revenue-neutral rate for the proposed 2026 budget, adding two mills to the city and county mill levies on top of assessed-value growth.","actionData","errors"]

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Commenters say BPU "pilot" charge has been passed to customers; ask commission to correct practice

Residents, churches and health groups press commission to fund shelters, affordable housing and public health

Wyandotte County commission votes to exceed revenue-neutral rate for 2026 budget