- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Hutchinson Today
By the People, for the People
Hutchinson Voters to Decide on Sales Tax Increase
City officials cite rising costs and full staffing as reasons behind proposed 0.75% hike
Published on Feb. 16, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Voters in Hutchinson, Kansas will head to the polls on March 3 to decide on a proposed 0.75% increase to the city's sales tax rate. The city council cites rising costs due to inflation and full staffing for the first time in 25 years as the main drivers behind the proposed increase, which would bring the total sales tax rate to 9%. If approved, the additional revenue would go towards streets, parks, capital improvements, and stormwater projects.
Why it matters
The sales tax increase would spread the burden of rising costs across all Hutchinson residents and visitors, rather than just property owners. The city has a 'pull factor' of 1.45, meaning it attracts 45% more shoppers than the population would suggest, so a sales tax hike would impact a broader base than a property tax increase.
The details
Hutchinson's current total sales tax rate is 8.25%, combining state, county, and city rates. The proposed increase would add 0.75% to the city's portion, bringing the total to 9%. The city says 73% of its budget goes to personnel costs, and the increase would help cover rising expenditures like higher pay to stabilize police and fire department staffing. If approved, the additional revenue would fund street, park, capital, and stormwater projects, and would also allow the city to remove a current $80 annual stormwater utility fee for homeowners.
- Voters will decide on the sales tax increase on March 3, 2026.
- Advanced in-person voting will be available from February 23 to March 2.
The players
Greg Fast
Vice Mayor of Hutchinson, who discussed the reasons behind the proposed sales tax increase.
Hutchinson
The city in Kansas that is proposing the sales tax increase to voters.
What they’re saying
“Expenditures are going up and revenues are going down.”
— Greg Fast, Vice Mayor (The Hutchinson News)
“We've upped firefighter and police pay to help fill those positions, and those two departments, specifically, have stabilized.”
— Greg Fast, Vice Mayor (The Hutchinson News)
“If they buy something they're going to pay for the use of our roads.”
— Greg Fast, Vice Mayor (The Hutchinson News)
What’s next
The first of two informational meetings for Hutchinson residents was held on February 10, with another scheduled for February 16. Advanced in-person voting will begin on February 23 and run through March 2, leading up to the March 3 special election.
The takeaway
Hutchinson is facing rising costs and the need to maintain services, leading the city council to propose a sales tax increase that would spread the burden across all residents and visitors rather than just property owners. The vote on March 3 will determine if the 0.75% hike is approved, with the additional revenue earmarked for infrastructure and utility projects.
