Wyandotte County voters rejected the chance to invest more local sales tax dollars into their city parks and homelessness services countywide.

In Tuesday’s general election, voters denied two sales tax initiatives on the November ballot, including one intended to generate $12 million for community health and homelessness services throughout the county each year and another focused on improving public parks and area infrastructure. Had it been approved, the parks and infrastructure tax, expected to bring in $16 million annually, would’ve applied to improvements in Kansas City, Kansas, only.

The sales tax items were among numerous decisions that voters had to make in a series of local and statewide races in this year’s general election. They also weighed who they want to elect as Kansas governor, who they want representing them in the state Legislature and the U.S. Senate, and more. You can see The Beacon’s live results, powered by AP News, here.

Ultimately, 19,501 people voted in favor of the 1/4-cent healthcare and homeless services sales tax item, and 21,849 voted against it, according to uncertified election results Tuesday evening.

Roughly 16,972 people voted for the 3/8-cent parks tax and 20,223 voted against. 

The denial of both investments means that officials at the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and KCK may now need to go back to the drawing board to find resources for planned improvements in those areas.

Homelessness tax item

The 1/4-cent sales tax increase that voters rejected Tuesday was designed to bring new resources to limited healthcare and mental health services across Wyandotte County. 

The county has long grappled with ways to address shortages in its healthcare system, which has about 56 physicians for every 100,000 residents, according to the Unified Government.

The government planned to use funds generated by the tax to expand mental health services, substance abuse treatment, temporary housing and more in a community that doesn’t yet have a year-round shelter that offers wraparound support for people experiencing chronic homelessness. 

Parks and roads tax item

The government planned to split the $16 million generated by the 3/8-cent sales tax increase between improving city parks services – like Parkwood Pool, the clubhouse at the Sunflower Hills Golf Course, local parks and its seven community centers – and key infrastructure, like roads, bridges and sidewalks.