City Passes Resolution Clarifying Position on Countywide Sales Tax

The Atchison City Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution during Monday’s meeting taking an official position on the countywide sales tax used to fund joint communications and solid waste.

The resolution reiterates that commissioners believe the sales tax is a local issue and that city leaders are open to further good-faith negotiations with the county on an interlocal agreement. For the past three state legislative sessions there has been a bill introduced that would change the statewide apportionment formula for countywide general sales taxes, also sunsetting the current 1% countywide sales tax in Atchison County for solid waste and joint communications. One of the main issues is the current tax generates more revenue than is needed to fund joint communications and the county’s solid waste operation and the city and county are at odds as to how the excess should be split and utilized. Many past discussions and negotiations have ended contentiously, as there are some legitimate fundamental differences of opinion.

The resolution was designed to aggregate the relevant facts and provide a non-contentious, non-inflammatory, non-accusatory statement of the City’s position.

To view the resolution, please click here.