Bond Referendum

What is a bond referendum? 

A bond referendum is a voting process that gives voters the power to decide if a municipality should be authorized to borrow money for citizen-desired improvements and projects through the sale of bonds. A bond is a loan taken out by the City to fund capital improvements. In Kansas, any bond intended to be used for parks or recreation projects must be approved by the voters.  

How would the proposed recreational amenities be paid for?

The proposed parks, trails, and sports fields improvements would be paid for by a property tax increase. The chart below is meant to provide an approximate idea of how much your property taxes would increase based on your home value.

Bond Property Tax Increase

Are there other sources of revenue possible which might assist in funding these projects and lessen the impact on my property taxes?  

We will pursue regional and federal grant sources which come with a required match.

If the bond referendum doesn’t pass, what happens?  

No new projects will be completed in the near term. Future needs of the Parks and Recreation Department will be considered along with other capital needs of the City during annual Capital Improvement Plan updates.