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Minutes for HB2732 - Committee on Taxation
Short Title
Enacting the Gage park improvement authority act providing for the creation of a Gage park improvement authority and a Gage park improvement authority sales tax within Shawnee county to be administered by the authority for the purpose of supporting Gage park, the Topeka zoo and the Kansas children's discovery center.
Minutes Content for Mon, Mar 14, 2022
Chairperson Smith opened the hearing for HB2732.
Adam Siebers provided an overview for HB2732 stating it would enact the Gage Park Improvement Authority Act. (Attachment 3)
Without objection, Chairperson Smith passed over the fiscal note stating HB2732 is mostly a local sales tax unless anyone has a question. Seeing none, Chairperson Smith opened with proponent testimony.
Proponents:
Representative Fred Patton, House District 50, testified as a proponent for HB2732 noting he joined the Zoo Board back in 2011 and the board began investigating the possibility of a public-private partnership where Friends Of The Topeka Zoo (FOTZ) would take over the operation and management of the zoo from the City of Topeka. After visiting other zoos and discussions of what is best for the Topeka Zoo the governance transition occurred on April 3, 2021 where Friends Of The Topeka Zoo oversee all functions of the Topeka Zoo. The Topeka Zoo had historically been funded by property taxes, along with guest admission and capital fund raising efforts. After studying the issue, a coalition of partners has introduced HB2732 which will allow the Shawnee County voters to determine whether the Gage Park Improvement Authority should be created, and if so, whether to support it with a fraction of sales tax percentage. If passed, the local property taxpayers will be reduced and enhancements for Gage Park and the Discovery Center would be funded by a fraction of sales tax paid for, in part, by tourists and visitors to the Topeka Community. (Attachment 4) Representative Patton stood for questions from Committee members.
Dene Mosier, President and CEO of the Kansas Children's Discovery Center, testified as a proponent for HB2732 noting that the Discovery Center hosts over 95,000 visitors a year stating that one in four museum visitors live outside of Shawnee County. HB2732 would allow the citizens of Shawnee County the opportunity to create Gage Park Improvement Authority to develop and grow Gage Park and the Discovery Center for generations to come. (Attachment 5) Ms. Mosier stood for questions from Committee members.
Aaron D. Mays, 3rd District, Board of County Commissioners, and currently serves as the Chairman of Shawnee County Commission. He noted he is here testifying as a proponent for HB2732 and is not an official position of Shawnee County. Shawnee County operates all of Gage Park except the Topeka Zoo and the Kansas Children's Discovery Center. There is a significant amount of deferred maintenance needed at the park. Rather than raising property taxes to accomplish necessary improvements, HB2732 would allow us to ask Shawnee County voters on a ballot to approve the Gage Park Authority and accompanying sales tax. (Attachment 6) County Commissioner, Aaron Mays stood for questions from Committee members.
Written only testimony as a proponent for HB2732 was submitted by the following:
Brendan Wiley, CEO, Friends of the Topeka Zoo, (Attachment 7)
David Callanan, Founder, Advisors Excel, (Attachment 8)
Mike Lesser, District 9, Topeka City Council, (Attachment 9)
Richard Wells on behalf of Friends of the Topeka Zoo, (Attachment 10)
Whitney Damron on behalf of City of Topeka, (Attachment 11)
Chairperson Smith closed the hearing for HB2732.
