Local initiatives which target substance abuse will not be receiving as much money as desired from the Special Alcohol Fund in 2018 because of a decline in sales tax collected from liquor and beer.
On Tuesday evening, Manhattan City Commissioners heard about more than $800,000 in requests made to the Special Alcohol Fund Advisory Committee for the upcoming budget. Special Alcohol Fund Advisory Committee chairwoman Gabrielle Thompson said the special alcohol fund is $326,000 behind where it was at this point last year.
“When I first saw that we had a lot less money, I thought to myself, “Is this because Fake Patty’s Day was such a washout?” Thompson joked.
The Special Alcohol Fund Advisory Committee considers the impact agencies have on anti-alcohol initiatives when awarding their money during the upcoming budget year. Services such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Lafene Health Center, and Pawnee Mental Health Services will receive less than half of the amount they requested to the committee.
Bernie Hayen, director of business and finance, said the city may collect more money from the special alcohol fund once a new state law takes effect that will allow the sale of strong beer at grocery stores.
Riley County Community Corrections Director Shelly Williams told commissioners her department has cut positions through attrition, and will also be losing $17,000 in state funding in the upcoming year. Last year, the Special Alcohol Fund helped Riley County hire a urinary analysis tech to monitor court-ordered UA’s at the Riley County Courthouse. Two mental health co-responder positions were also funded in 2017 using the special alcohol sales tax.
Manhattan City Commissioners also held their second budget work session. At the May 3 work session, city staff introduced the first draft of the 2018 City Budget and Capital Improvement Program (CIP) which proposed a 3.194 mill increase, or roughly $2.5 million. The city could have collected $28,393,186 in property taxes under the first draft.
A property tax lid enacted by the Kansas legislature in 2015 took effect on Jan. 1.
Manhattan is the beneficiary of many exemptions under the new property tax lid. Excluded revenues include new improvements valuation, increased personal property valuation, and property which has changed in use. Some expenditures are excluded such as bond and interest payments, and any property taxes levied by subordinate governments such as Riley County Police Department and Manhattan Public Library.
The commission voted to move forward with development at the K-State Foundation Office Park. Commissioners accepted the easements and rights of way at the second plat of the new addition.
“They’re replatting it for future development,” said Eric Cattell, director of community development. “We had to modify some of the drainage and utilities easements.”
The second building at the Foundation’s office park is being financed using monies from the city’s economic development fund. The city will be able to collect property tax from the building because of the business purpose it will be serving,
