MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
About 40 residents attended the first of two public meetings Tuesday at Memorial Hall to learn more about a proposed city sales tax increase that will appear on the March 3 ballot.
Enrico Villegas said the city is asking only for what it needs, noting the proposal would fund core services and infrastructure. Voters are being asked to approve a 0.75% sales tax increase that would take effect Oct. 1, 2026.
Finance Director Angela Richard said the city’s sales tax “pull factor” of 1.45 means Hutchinson serves a customer base about 45% larger than its population, helping shift some costs to nonresidents and easing pressure on property taxes.
Officials said departments have already reduced spending where possible and warned that if the measure fails, the city would need to consider a range of service reductions, prioritizing police and fire response. The city placed the question on a March ballot to align with its budget certification timeline.