RUSSELL, Kan. (KWCH) – In addition to choosing who they want to represent them at the local, state and national levels, voters in the city of Russell have a special question on their general election ballot. Voters will decide on a sales tax intended to save money for their water reserve fund. Ultimately, the city aims to secure a long-term water source.
Specifically, Russell residents are voting on a three-quarter-cent sales tax in order to team up with the City of Hays to pipe water in from Edwards County.
“We’re proposing the three-quarter-cent sales tax to help the development of water for Russell. We currently have two water sources, one out of Big Creek and one out of the Pfeifer Well Field and we are looking to supplement that with [water] out of Edwards County,” Russell Mayor Jim Cross said.
It’s estimated that the sales tax would generate about $400,000 annually with all of that going into the water reserve fund for the city.
“We’re looking at about $22 million to get the water from Edwards County to Schoenchen and we’re looking at about $13 million to get from Schenchen to Pfeifer before we even start getting it in on our current raw water line,” Cross explained. “We’re needing to try to supplement our water reserve fund to help us build the infrastructure and take the burden off the citizens of Russell.”
Cross said the city could raise water rates but that’s not something it wants to do.
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