Manhattan City Commission Summary
Week of July 15, 2026
Commission approves revised intent to exceed revenue neutral rate
County appraiser discrepancy prompts budget recalculation
Developers pitch $640,000 workforce housing subsidy for new subdivision
Commissioner proposes alternative budget to avoid tax increase
City faces looming deficit in bond and interest fund
Commission targets 0.75 percent rate for upcoming sales tax renewal
Commissioners reject funding new parks projects in sales tax measure
Debate ignites over city's $14 million cash reserves
Surging information technology costs draw commission scrutiny
Commission approves revised intent to exceed revenue neutral rate
MANHATTAN, Kan. — The Manhattan City Commission, which consists of Mayor Susan Adamchak, Mayor Pro Tem Karen McCulloh, and Commissioners Larry Fox, Jim Morrison and Andrew Von Lintel, voted 3-2 to approve a revised resolution stating its intent to exceed the revenue neutral rate, setting a maximum proposed mill levy of 54.506 for the 2027 budget. The commission was forced to repeal a previous resolution passed just last week after updated county calculations altered the city's assessed valuation. A public hearing on the proposed tax rate is scheduled for Sept. 15 at City Hall.
County appraiser discrepancy prompts budget recalculation
MANHATTAN, Kan. — A discrepancy in calculations from the Riley County Appraiser's Office forced city officials to hastily revise their budget projections. City Manager Danielle Dulin reported that the county prematurely included the downtown tax increment financing district in the city's assessed valuation, one year before it officially returns to the tax rolls. The correction dropped the city's projected assessed valuation increase from 6 percent to 4 percent, raising the revenue neutral rate from 51.056 to 52.210 mills and requiring a new vote on the city's maximum tax intent.
Developers pitch $640,000 workforce housing subsidy for new subdivision
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Local developers presented a proposal to use workforce housing sales tax funds to subsidize a 16-lot "cottage court" in a proposed subdivision. The developers requested feedback on utilizing approximately $40,000 per lot — totaling $640,000 — to pay off special assessments for future homeowners, keeping the two-bedroom, single-story homes priced between $265,000 and $275,000. Commissioners expressed preliminary support for using the funds to lower monthly payments for first-time buyers but raised questions regarding neighborhood density and whether the city could stagger the special assessment payments.
Commissioner proposes alternative budget to avoid tax increase
MANHATTAN, Kan. — During budget discussions, a commissioner presented an alternative financial plan to reduce the proposed property tax rate to 52.207 mills. The proposal relies on officially raising franchise fees from 4 percent to 6 percent to generate an additional $1.9 million. The plan also includes reducing the city's cash reserve growth by $550,000, increasing the bond and interest fund by $2.5 million and halving the Manhattan Public Library's requested budget increase. City Manager Danielle Dulin cautioned against relying heavily on unproven franchise fee revenue in its first year.
City faces looming deficit in bond and interest fund
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Deputy City Manager Jason Hilgers warned the commission that the city's bond and interest fund will run out of money by 2031 if current funding levels are not adjusted. The city currently carries $334 million in total debt, with annual payments exceeding $22.7 million, yet property taxes cover only a small fraction of that annual obligation. Hilgers explained that consecutive years of lowering the mill levy have rapidly depleted the fund's cash balances, urging the commission to either increase property tax support or dedicate new sales tax revenue to avoid a severe financial cliff.
Commission targets 0.75 percent rate for upcoming sales tax renewal
MANHATTAN, Kan. — The commission reached a general consensus to pursue a 0.75 percent to 0.85 percent sales tax renewal on the November ballot, which would combine two existing taxes set to expire in 2026 and 2027. If approved at 0.75 percent, the combined tax rate in the Riley County portion of Manhattan would sit at 9.45 percent. Commissioners prioritized allocating the generated revenue toward street maintenance, debt service, a fire training facility and deferred city maintenance. The commission largely agreed to steer clear of a full 1 percent increase to prevent the overall community sales tax rate from approaching double digits.
Commissioners reject funding new parks projects in sales tax measure
MANHATTAN, Kan. — In prioritizing projects for the upcoming sales tax renewal, commissioners roundly rejected allocating funds for "Move MHK," the city's parks and recreation master plan. A 1 percent sales tax scenario presented by city staff had proposed directing $1 million annually toward new park investments. However, a commissioner argued that the parks department already has sufficient maintenance funds and that the city must focus strictly on core infrastructure and debt reduction. The commission agreed to strip the proposed park funding from the ballot measure's priority list.
Debate ignites over city's $14 million cash reserves
MANHATTAN, Kan. — A debate over the city's general fund cash balances emerged as commissioners scrutinized a projected increase to $14 million. A commissioner questioned the rapid growth of the reserves, noting the fund sat at just $2 million a decade ago. City Manager Danielle Dulin explained the balances were built using one-time federal pandemic relief funds and are crucial for protecting the city's bond rating and providing emergency cash flow in the event of a natural disaster.
Surging information technology costs draw commission scrutiny
MANHATTAN, Kan. — The city's internal information technology budget faced heavy questioning after commissioners noted total fund revenues and expenses had increased significantly over the previous fiscal year.
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