With two landslide approvals by Shawnee voters, the renewal of two existing sales taxes means promising futures for city projects.
In last Tuesday’s election, Shawnee voters overwhelmingly voted to renew the “Parks & Pipes and Pavement” sales taxes, which together fund improvement projects throughout the city.
Their renewal means the city will be able to move ahead with no gaps in funding.
All election results are unofficial until the vote canvass at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 14.
Both tax renewals passed with about 75% support
According to unofficial final Election Night results, the “Parks and Pipes” tax issue passed with nearly 75% of voters approving the measure, which renews the 1/8-cent citywide sales tax that is specifically designated for building and improving city parks, trails and stormwater drainage systems.
Meanwhile, the “Pavement” tax passed with nearly 76% of voters approving it. That’s a 3/8-cent citywide sales tax meant specifically for maintenance and improvements to city streets, curbs and sidewalks.
While both taxes have existed in the city for years — the “Parks & Pipes” tax was first approved in 2000 and the “Pavement” tax in 2014 — the prospect of either failing was made some city officials anxious.
“This will help us by doing it early, to continue to plan and develop as we move forward, without the uncertainty of whether or not the funding will be there in the future,” said Shawnee Parks and Recreation Director Tonya Lecuru at a Shawnee Planning Commission meeting in October.
Some “Parks & Pipes”-funded projects will now move forward
Both taxes bring in considerable funding annually for city projects, with “Parks & Pipes” generating about $2 million and “Pavement” netting about $6 million.
The renewal would take effect on Jan. 1, 2026, the day following the expiration of the existing sales tax for the same purposes, and end on Dec. 31, 2035.
Some of the future “Parks & Pipes” projects the sales tax will help fund include:
- New playground equipment in Gum Springs Park that will be available starting in Spring 2024.
- The city’s “A Third of a Mile” project, which aims to have a city park or greenspace within 1/3 of a mile from every Shawnee home.
- Projects like Garrett Park, Valley of Champions/Rail Creek Park bike park and Riverfront Park.
The pipes portion also plans to continue to replace roughly 108,000 linear feet of corrugated metal pipe at the end of its lifespan with longer-lasting concrete pipes.
It will also continue to focus on flood remediation projects throughout the city.
What “Pavement” projects are in the future?
Through the sales tax, the Shawnee Parks and Recreation Department will continue to take aim at making a smoother, safer commute for Shawnee residents.
It would take effect on April 1, 2025, the day following the expiration of the existing sales tax for the same purposes, and end on March 31, 2035.
Repair costs for streets can range from $21,000 per lane mile for asphalt repair to $1.1 million for reconstruction, depending on the age of the street.
“The primary goal is to address these as they come up, to keep the cost per lane mile less and less, rather than to end up where there’s a complete failure on that road,” Lecuru said previously.
Go deeper: Watch a presentation by Parks and Recreation on the Parks & Pipes and Pavement tax [Starts at 20:28]
