By Kevin Bumgarner
The Wichita Eagle
VALLEY CENTER, Kan. — Valley Center voters rejected a public safety local-option sales tax initiative on the Nov. 3 general election ballot, with 63% of voters saying no.
A total of 1,845 people voted against the measure, compared to 1,083 people who were in favor, according to data from the Sedgwick County Election Office.
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The initiative asked voters to consider a 1% sales tax increase to help pay for an expanded city fire department that would be able to operate 24/7/365. The city’s next step will be to join the county’s Fire District 1.
Those in opposition to relying on county fire service expressed concerns about its response times, among other things. But in the end, more voters were worried about the cost of expanding their independent fire department.
In a phone interview with The Eagle, Valley Center City Administrator Cyndra Kastens said it is time for the city to reunite after voicing differences of opinion on what became an extremely passionate topic for people on both sides of the issue.
The sales tax hike, which was estimated to generate an extra $950,000 annually, would have given Valley Center a total sales tax rate of 9.5%, making it the highest in the county.
In addition to increasing the number of Valley Center firefighters from six full-time firefighters when fully staffed to 10 FTEs when fully staffed, Valley Center taxpayers also would eventually have had to come up with funding for a new fire station, equipment and additional firefighting vehicles. The city also would need to pay for what Kastens has previously called a “robust part-time staff” to supplement the efforts of full-time staffers.
In discussions leading up to the election, county officials said Valley Center’s current firefighters will be offered jobs with Fire District 1 if the city goes in that direction, and the county will pay for whatever costs are associated with renovating the existing fire station or building a new facility.
The county has promised Valley Center residents that the city will continue to have a fire station located within its city limits.
As part of Fire District 1 , the owner of a $250,000 home in Valley Center would pay property taxes totaling $302 in 2027 for fire protection services. In 2028, that number will be an estimated $482, or 16.75 mills, for fire protection service, which is the same rate that all other Fire District 1 members pay the county.
By joining Fire District 1 , Valley Center would save an estimated $2.1 million in 2028 when it sells its existing fire equipment, proceeds of which would be used to pay off existing fire truck debt and other city debt, according to data supplied by the city of Valley Center.
The city also would not need to purchase a new fire truck in 2027 as was planned, and it won’t need to spend the $210,000 in non-budgeted cash to cover start-up costs. City residents also will not have to foot the bill for a new fire station at an estimated cost of $5 million, bringing the total estimated savings to $7.1 million.
In August, when the Valley Center City Council voted 6-2 to put the sales tax issue before voters, those in favor of the proposal talked about a lack of confidence in the county being able to match the Valley Center Fire Department’s response times for calls to the city.
Others also stressed the importance of the civic pride that comes with the city having its own fire department. And some expressed frustration with what they called a relatively short amount of time the county was giving Valley Center to make a decision about the future of its fire service.
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