Special Sales Tax Renewal Information

History

In early 2014, the Edwardsville City Council created a citizens task force exploring the creation of a special sales tax, the revenue from which would be used for designated purposes. The question was posed to the voters in August of that year asking if there was support for the creation of a one-half cent sales tax to support projects and purchases related to the following areas:

- Improving, rebuilding, and maintaining streets/roads/sidewalks/etc.

- Acquiring, repairing, and maintenance of City Park and Recreation facilities and projects related to Parks & Rec programming

- Acquiring vehicles and equipment for the Edwardsville Fire and EMS Department

The sales tax question was approved by voters by a 66% margin. The special sales tax was made active following the vote, with a provision that it would sunset at the close of 2024.
swartz rd repair

Major Street and Road Projects

Since the 2015, the Special Sales Tax has generated $662,381 for major street projects in the City, with another $200,000 budgeted between 2023 and 2024. These projects have included:

- the 2017 Rock Ridge subdivision mill & overlay project (approximately $66,000)
- the 2018 100th St. pulverizing, overlay, and full-depth repairs (approximately $97,000)
- the 2019 crack seal project (approximately $76,000)
- the 2021 surface seal project (approximately $125,000)
- the 2022 Swartz Rd. improvement project (approximately $115,000)
- the 2023 2nd St./Speaker Rd. project (approximately $102,000)

Fire/EMS Vehicles and Equipment

The Special Sales Tax has funded over $1.3 million in purchases related to the Edwardsville Fire and EMS Department. Primarily, this has included the lease-purchase payments that have funded the entire EFD/EMS fleet. This includes the 2015 Pumper Truck, the 2017 Brush Truck, the 2018 Ladder Truck, the 2022 Ambulance, and more.

Additionally, Special Sales Taxes have been used to purchase life-saving equipment for the EFD/EMS Department, including specialty extractors, cardiac monitors, air supply systems, and more. The funds have been strategically used for grant matching as well, allowing the departments to leverage outside revenue for items such as personal protective equipment, tools, and more.
8-EFD ladder 2 - Jayna Whitham
basketball hoop 5
new trail

Parks & Recreation

Since 2015, the City's Parks & Recreation Department has utilized $300,000 in Special Sales Tax revenue for improvements to the City's parks and trail infrastructure. Significant additions to the City Park using these funds include the installation of the disc golf course, the futsal courts, basketball goals, new mulch at the playground, and more. Funs have been used in other areas of the City as well, including the trail edition just north of the Kansas River. The River Front Park redevelopment project costs were paid using these funds, which have brought that major project to the point of final conceptualization and is ready for approval to move forward with construction.

Who Pays this Tax?

The Special Sales Tax is applied to all goods and services sold in the City of Edwardsville. 

Edwardsville does not have a traditional commercial district, meaning most of the major businesses in the City are located in the Edwardsville Industrial Park on the south end of town. Because of this, the largest sales tax generators are not businesses that specifically cater to Edwardsville residents. This includes auto dealerships, convenience stores, gas stations, construction suppliers, distribution centers, and more whose customer base is often targeted around the region and beyond, NOT Edwardsville residents. A random sampling of monthly sales tax payers in the City will often show 6-7 of the top 10 sales tax contributors coming from these sources. This means that the largest generators of this tax are more often than not people or businesses outside the City limits, shifting the burden away from Edwardsville residents.

The current sales tax rate in Edwardsville, including the Special Sales Tax, is 9%. This compares favorably to other Wyandotte County communities Bonner Springs (9.25%) and Kansas City, KS (9.13%). Renewing the existing Special Sales Tax would keep the rate at 9%.

Is this related to Property Taxes?

Special Sales Tax revenue is deposited into a specific fund within the City, separate from the property tax-supported General Fund. 
Spending/Budget 2018 2019
2020
2021
 2022
Total Expenditure $326,214 $522,822 $177,572 $457,504 $399,626
Mill Equivalent 5.7 mills 8.4 mills 2.6 mills 6.0 mills 4.8 mills
The mill levy is the tax rate applied to property valuations that determine the amount of property taxes the City receives each year. The table above shows how much money was spent using Special Sales Tax dollars that would have otherwise been paid by property tax dollars. This means that each year the City can utilize the Special Sales Tax, it reduces the burden on property taxes, allowing for more mill levy control in the annual budget.

2023 Ballot Question

On May 22, 2023, the Edwardsville City Council adopted Resolution 2023-05, calling for the question regarding the renewal of the Special Sales Tax be placed on the 2023 November ballot. The question that will appear on the ballot will read as follows:

Shall the City of Edwardsville, Kansas be authorized to renew a one-half percent (0.50%) special purpose retailers’ sales tax, the collection of which to commence on January 1, 2025 or as soon thereafter as permitted by law, and the proceeds used for:

(a) improving, rebuilding and maintaining roads, streets, curb & gutters, sidewalks and storm water facilities and such other work as is necessary, including the financing of same;

(b) acquiring, repairing, rehabilitating, and maintenance and operation of city parks and recreation facilities, including the financing of same;

(c) acquiring, repairing, rehabilitating, and maintenance and operation of public safety equipment and facilities, including the financing of same;

provided that such retailers’ sales tax shall expire 10 years from the date of imposition, all pursuant to K.S.A. 12-187 et. seq., as amended?

This question is related to the renewal of the existing Special Sales Tax, and not the addition of a new Special Sales Tax. Should it be approved, the sales tax rate in Edwardsville would remain 9%

What does my vote mean?

Below is a table that summarizes the implications of a YES or a NO vote for this issue on the November ballot:
What does a YES vote mean?
What does a NO vote Mean?
The revenue source can continue at its current rate to fund major projects for Fire/EMS, Parks & Rec, and streets. These areas will be eligible for funding just has they have been since 2014. The funding source would expire at the end of 2024.
ALL public safety departments would now be eligible for use of these funds. The City will need to explore ways to generate revenue for EFD/EMS, streets, and Parks and Rec, to offset the lost revenue and maintain the same level of service and projects. This may include the use of property taxes as a possible funding source.

Want more information?

If you are part of a community group such as an HOA, a church, business association, or something else, and would like to hear more information about the potential renewal for the Special Sales Tax, please reach out to Edwardsville City Hall at 913-356-6000, extension 1, and request a staff member present the information. Specialized presentations are dependent on available staff.