Sales Tax
The Reno County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) will hold a special meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, in the Veterans Room of the Reno County Courthouse, 206 W. 1st Avenue, to discuss a possible countywide sales tax. The commissioners received the final Sales Tax Survey report during a joint meeting with the City of Hutchinson on Wednesday, January 14, 2026.
The revenue that would be generated from a countywide sales tax would be shared with all cities in Reno County.
How do sales tax and property tax work differently? Sales tax is paid by everyone when they shop - visitors, residents, renters, and property owners alike. Property tax is paid annually by property owners, though renters typically pay it through their rent since landlords factor it into housing costs. It's two different ways to fund county services - one spreads the cost across everyone who spends money here, the other focuses on those who live here.
The agenda and related documents may be viewed at https://www.renocountyks.gov/agendas . A live broadcast of the meeting may be viewed on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@RenoCounty/streams
The Sales Tax Survey has been completed and can be read here: Final Sales Tax Survey Report - January 2026
Reno County Sales Tax Survey
Reno County is exploring whether residents would support additional sales tax to fund community investments. To help inform this decision, we’ve engaged the Public Policy and Management Center (PPMC) at Wichita State University to conduct a comprehensive survey to understand your priorities and willingness to support various investment options.
About the Survey
What is this survey measuring?
This survey measures resident support for different investment options. We're asking about your priorities for potential community investments and your willingness to support a new sales tax to pay for them.
Who received the survey?
The PPMC at WSU mailed surveys to approximately 4,000 randomly selected Reno County residents. This scientific sampling approach ensures we get representative feedback from across our community.
What's the methodology?
This is called a "willingness-to-pay" survey. We first ask about your support for different investment strategies, then test your willingness to pay for specific approaches to those strategies.
When do I need to respond?
We collected responses through the first part of December, 2025.
Who is conducting this survey?
This survey is being conducted by the Public Policy and Management Center (PPMC) at Wichita State University on behalf of Reno County. The PPMC specializes in community surveys that help local governments understand resident priorities and willingness to support public investments.
If you have questions about the survey methodology, results, or process, you can contact Isabel Ebersole at [email protected] or 316-978-6419.
About Sales Tax in Reno County
What sales tax do we currently have?
Reno County currently has a 1-cent sales tax. This ongoing tax funds general county operations and helps offset what would otherwise be higher property taxes.
How is current sales tax revenue used?
The revenue is shared with all 15 cities in Reno County, proportionally based on population. Cities rely on this funding because they simply don't have enough revenue on their own to keep up with community needs. Most use it for general operations like water and sewer systems, road maintenance, building repairs, and equipment needs. The county uses its portion for general fund operations to keep property taxes lower than they would otherwise be.
Yoder is not listed because Yoder, Kansas is officially an unincorporated community, which means it is not an incorporated town or city. It does not have its own city government and it does not levy or collect city taxes. All local government services for the Yoder area are provided directly by Reno County or a township such as the maintenance of township roads if they exist, just like other unincorporated parts of the county.
Have we had sales tax measures before?
Yes! We successfully completed a sales tax measure that financed our corrections facility about 10 years ago. That tax actually ended early because the project was paid off ahead of schedule.
What would additional sales tax mean for my property taxes?
An additional 1-cent sales tax would bring in about $6 milllion more per year to the County budget based on the 2025 sales tax receipts. This means the County could fund needed services without having to raise property taxes by 7.76 mills.
The total county levy in 2024 was 35.504 mills.
How do sales tax and property tax work differently?
Sales tax is paid by everyone when they shop - visitors, residents, renters, and property owners alike. Property tax is paid annually by property owners, though renters typically pay it through their rent since landlords factor it into housing costs. It's two different ways to fund county services - one spreads the cost across everyone who spends money here, the other focuses on those who live here.
Potential Investment Areas
The survey explores several potential investment areas that additional sales tax revenue could fund:
🏠 Housing initiatives: Support for both new construction and rehabilitation/preservation
💼 Economic development: Business attraction and development infrastructure
🚓 Public safety facilities: Potential sheriff's office improvements
🚧 Infrastructure improvements: Roads, water, and sewer systems, particularly in smaller cities
👶 Childcare support: Facility expansions and provider assistance
These are areas we're exploring based on community input and identified needs. The county has not committed to any particular investment.
Timeline & Coordination
What about Hutchinson's sales tax measure?
The City of Hutchinson is considering their own sales tax measure for an election in March 2026. This is completely separate from any potential county measure. If the county decides to proceed based on survey results, it would likely be on the ballot in November 2026.
What happens after the survey?
Survey results will help county commissioners understand community priorities and support levels. No decisions have been made about whether to proceed with a ballot measure; that will depend on what we learn from your feedback.
How will I know the results?
Data collection and analysis have been completed and the survey findings can be found by clicking the link:
Final Sales Tax Survey Report, January 2026
Questions?
About the sales tax initiative or Reno County services:
Contact Randy Partington, County Administrator at [email protected] or (620) 694-2530
The Reno County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) will hold a special meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, in the Veterans Room of the Reno County Courthouse, 206 W. 1st Avenue, to discuss a possible countywide sales tax. The commissioners received the final Sales Tax Survey report during a joint meeting with the City of Hutchinson on Wednesday, January 14, 2026.
The revenue that would be generated from a countywide sales tax would be shared with all cities in Reno County.
How do sales tax and property tax work differently? Sales tax is paid by everyone when they shop - visitors, residents, renters, and property owners alike. Property tax is paid annually by property owners, though renters typically pay it through their rent since landlords factor it into housing costs. It's two different ways to fund county services - one spreads the cost across everyone who spends money here, the other focuses on those who live here.
The agenda and related documents may be viewed at https://www.renocountyks.gov/agendas . A live broadcast of the meeting may be viewed on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@RenoCounty/streams
The Sales Tax Survey has been completed and can be read here: Final Sales Tax Survey Report - January 2026
Reno County Sales Tax Survey
Reno County is exploring whether residents would support additional sales tax to fund community investments. To help inform this decision, we’ve engaged the Public Policy and Management Center (PPMC) at Wichita State University to conduct a comprehensive survey to understand your priorities and willingness to support various investment options.
About the Survey
What is this survey measuring?
This survey measures resident support for different investment options. We're asking about your priorities for potential community investments and your willingness to support a new sales tax to pay for them.
Who received the survey?
The PPMC at WSU mailed surveys to approximately 4,000 randomly selected Reno County residents. This scientific sampling approach ensures we get representative feedback from across our community.
What's the methodology?
This is called a "willingness-to-pay" survey. We first ask about your support for different investment strategies, then test your willingness to pay for specific approaches to those strategies.
When do I need to respond?
We collected responses through the first part of December, 2025.
Who is conducting this survey?
This survey is being conducted by the Public Policy and Management Center (PPMC) at Wichita State University on behalf of Reno County. The PPMC specializes in community surveys that help local governments understand resident priorities and willingness to support public investments.
If you have questions about the survey methodology, results, or process, you can contact Isabel Ebersole at [email protected] or 316-978-6419.
About Sales Tax in Reno County
What sales tax do we currently have?
Reno County currently has a 1-cent sales tax. This ongoing tax funds general county operations and helps offset what would otherwise be higher property taxes.
How is current sales tax revenue used?
The revenue is shared with all 15 cities in Reno County, proportionally based on population. Cities rely on this funding because they simply don't have enough revenue on their own to keep up with community needs. Most use it for general operations like water and sewer systems, road maintenance, building repairs, and equipment needs. The county uses its portion for general fund operations to keep property taxes lower than they would otherwise be.
Yoder is not listed because Yoder, Kansas is officially an unincorporated community, which means it is not an incorporated town or city. It does not have its own city government and it does not levy or collect city taxes. All local government services for the Yoder area are provided directly by Reno County or a township such as the maintenance of township roads if they exist, just like other unincorporated parts of the county.
Have we had sales tax measures before?
Yes! We successfully completed a sales tax measure that financed our corrections facility about 10 years ago. That tax actually ended early because the project was paid off ahead of schedule.
What would additional sales tax mean for my property taxes?
An additional 1-cent sales tax would bring in about $6 milllion more per year to the County budget based on the 2025 sales tax receipts. This means the County could fund needed services without having to raise property taxes by 7.76 mills.
The total county levy in 2024 was 35.504 mills.
How do sales tax and property tax work differently?
Sales tax is paid by everyone when they shop - visitors, residents, renters, and property owners alike. Property tax is paid annually by property owners, though renters typically pay it through their rent since landlords factor it into housing costs. It's two different ways to fund county services - one spreads the cost across everyone who spends money here, the other focuses on those who live here.
Potential Investment Areas
The survey explores several potential investment areas that additional sales tax revenue could fund:
🏠 Housing initiatives: Support for both new construction and rehabilitation/preservation
💼 Economic development: Business attraction and development infrastructure
🚓 Public safety facilities: Potential sheriff's office improvements
🚧 Infrastructure improvements: Roads, water, and sewer systems, particularly in smaller cities
👶 Childcare support: Facility expansions and provider assistance
These are areas we're exploring based on community input and identified needs. The county has not committed to any particular investment.
Timeline & Coordination
What about Hutchinson's sales tax measure?
The City of Hutchinson is considering their own sales tax measure for an election in March 2026. This is completely separate from any potential county measure. If the county decides to proceed based on survey results, it would likely be on the ballot in November 2026.
What happens after the survey?
Survey results will help county commissioners understand community priorities and support levels. No decisions have been made about whether to proceed with a ballot measure; that will depend on what we learn from your feedback.
How will I know the results?
Data collection and analysis have been completed and the survey findings can be found by clicking the link:
Final Sales Tax Survey Report, January 2026
Questions?
About the sales tax initiative or Reno County services:
Contact Randy Partington, County Administrator at [email protected] or (620) 694-2530
Contact Us
Department
Administrator Office
Address
206 W 1st Avenue, Hutchinson, KS 67501
Phone
Fax