Why would a city propose service cuts to close a small General Fund budget deficit (caused by excessive spending) with $77 million in cash reserves available? The answer is that government budgets are prepared by staff, and absent strong direction from elected officials, employees rarely suggest things that inconvenience them.
They aren’t bad people; they’ve been conditioned to think that way by decades of elected officials not considering taxpayers’ ability to pay and other economic consequences of excessive taxation.
Since 1997, Wichita City Council has increased property tax revenue by 228%; that’s more than double the combination of inflation and population growth. Developers receive subsidies, while everyone else pays for unnecessary spending increases.
The 2025 Adopted Budget projects General Fund wages will be 53% higher next year than in 2020, while inflation will only be about 28% higher. The 33% projected increase in Health Insurance is close to inflation, but Other Benefits are projected to double.
The City of Wichita’s 2025 budget indicates that projected cash reserves will be approximately $77 million at the end of 2026; the General Fund itself is predicted to have $45.5 million, and $31.8 million will be in the General Fund Stabilization Reserve. Every entity needs some measure of cash reserves, but $77 million is excessive.
Tell Wichita city staff to present a taxpayer-focused plan
Services or programs that are no longer needed or are not producing results should be on the chopping block, but there is no need to cut necessary programs and services.
Mayor Lily Wu and City Council members should instruct staff to come back with a plan that provides the same or better level of needed services without raising property tax.
