Topeka Governing Body Considers Sales Tax Ballot Measure, Housing Trust Fund, and 2027 Budget on September 16, 2026

The Topeka, Kansas, governing body met on September 16, 2026, to consider proposed sales tax and city order initiatives headed for the March 2027 ballot, receive an update on the activation of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, and work through the 2027 budget. The meeting opened with an invocation by Imam Omar Hazim of the Islamic Center of Topeka and included public comment on housing affordability and a proposed data center.

Note on the date: the transcript opens with “September 15th, 2026,” while the meeting’s recorded timestamp is September 16, 2026 at 06:00:48 UTC. Consistent with the meeting record, this summary uses September 16, 2026.

Opening & Invocation

• Councilmember Baldimia Alkala was announced as associated with the invocation, and Imam Omar Hazim of the Islamic Center of Topeka delivered the evening’s prayer. (The transcript is garbled and appears to attribute the invocation to both.)
• The Mayor introduced Imam Hazim as Islamic Advisor to the Kansas Department of Corrections, a role he has served since 1990, and noted he was the first Muslim to deliver the invocation to the Kansas House of Representatives and Senate on March 9, 1995.
• Hazim prayed for the success of the Mayor and the governing body.

Consent Calendar

• The consent agenda included the minutes of the regular meeting of September 8, 2026; no applications were on the agenda.

Public Comments & Testimony

• A resident, identified as Ms. Daniel Twimlow, signed up for public comment on the amendment item; the substance of the comment is not captured in the transcript.
• Housing affordability: A public commenter said market-rate housing “is not affordable for me and my family,” calling it “unethical to prioritize luxury housing over the homeless human beings on our streets right now.” The commenter objected to a push to direct half of the proposed sales tax to market-rate housing — citing a downtown luxury apartment complex as the example — and asked why residents struggling to afford housing should pay a tax for “luxury” they would never be able to live in or enjoy. The commenter began writing their remarks on Thursday, September 10.
• Data center: A community speaker urged the council to consider “the more human side of what a data center can do to a community” and told the governing body, “We must not give in to exhaustion or despair because the decision we make now will shape our communities for generations to come.” The Mayor allowed the speaker to finish even though the budget item was running long.

Discussion: Sales Tax and City Order Initiatives (March 2027 Ballot)

• Staff presented proposed sales tax and city order initiatives that, if approved by the governing body, would go before voters in March 2027.
• Staff noted the city had 1,187 positions in 2024, and that roughly $17.5 million in budget adjustments would be needed over the next couple of years to balance the budget “without any significant changes in our revenues.” If current projections held through 2028, reserves would be 11.82% above the 20% reserve target.
• Timeline discussed: the Policy and Finance discussion occurred September 3; council discussion is scheduled for October 6; the governing body was asked to consider and approve ballot language, with samples provided. One councilmember questioned why the deadline is October 20 rather than November 10, noting the election date (March 2) and a December 1 certification date, and requested that deadline information be provided.
• A councilmember said they did not want to give any group “an open-ended sales tax that goes on in perpetuity.” Another reported that constituents “don’t want” a sales tax. A third noted the sales tax would allow the city to pay for things with cash.
• The city manager pointed to a Friday memorandum addressing performance measures for each department, with monthly reporting to the council.
• Technical and legal discussion covered the existing 0.5% special-use sales tax (which currently caps the rate at 0.5%), the distinction between general and specific-use taxes, and the city manager’s statement that the sales tax could not be used for street maintenance.
• Councilmembers noted the RHID program “was not created for affordable housing” — with one challenging staff to bring a formal change if the governing body wants one — while the Affordable Housing Trust Fund was described as the intended vehicle for much of the housing discussion. One councilmember explained the market-rate housing rationale: as households move up, more affordable units become available.

Discussion: Affordable Housing Trust Fund

• Staff provided an update on the activation of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, an FY2026 strategic goal, and the Trust Fund Committee’s recommended use of remaining funds for smaller projects.
• Discussion included small “gut rehab” grants of about $10,000 to bring homes to code and price them as affordable, as well as co-op housing — Topeka has only one or two co-ops.
• Councilmember Hiller requested that information be shared with the full governing body.

Discussion: 2027 Budget

• The city manager reviewed budget line items, noting that a first item would reclassify a current position to create a city auditor role, with no new expense line item because the money is already levied in the budget.
• Councilmembers discussed a program transition, with one saying the community “doesn’t think they can do it” and urging that lines of accountability — including to public-health authorities — be clarified before any change.
• On School Resource Officers (SROs), a councilmember expressed support while noting officers they have spoken with plan to retire; another noted there is “a little under a year” for related training.
• A councilmember expressed concern about deferring a $150,000 item, warning that if the council waits until June, the $150,000 “will not be able to be done.” Another suggested adopting the item and making any changes — whether by proviso or budget request — before the evening is over.
• A councilmember observed that personnel and capital project costs are the two major spending areas and that, absent a tax increase, the structural imbalance would make those areas the first affected.
• The city manager reiterated the intent to hold a budget discussion each month at council and noted tough decisions will be made about unfilled positions as people leave.
• The Mayor asked the city clerk to take a vote on the amendment before the body; the tally and outcome are not captured in the transcript.

Recognitions & Announcements

• It was announced that this was Nick Jefferson’s final council meeting.
• A councilmember praised the Topeka Fire Department’s testimony and the Topeka Police Department for quickly identifying a suspect in the NOTO double homicide. The councilmember called the incident horrific but isolated, and encouraged residents to support NOTO businesses, including at First Friday.
• Councilmember Miller recounted explaining to his son that he and Councilman Ortiz had spoken “as adults” after a conversation earlier that evening.
• The final fire department open house (held the previous Friday) was praised, and new employees were welcomed.
• The Mayor said the meeting would not run past 10:00 p.m. and that the budget discussion — limited to 15 minutes — would begin immediately.

Key Outcomes

• The sales tax and city order initiative remains under discussion; the next council discussion is set for October 6, with ballot language consideration and approval expected around the October 20 deadline (which one councilmember questioned).
• Councilmember Hiller’s request for Affordable Housing Trust Fund information to be shared with the full governing body was agreed to.
• The 2027 budget discussion proceeded to a vote on the item before the body; the outcome is not captured in the transcript. The city manager committed to monthly budget discussions at council.
• The consent agenda, including the September 8, 2026, minutes, was presented with no applications.