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Thursday, 28 March 2024

Wyandotte County budget shortfall could top $15M-$20M

Credit: 41 Action News
Duration: 02:21s 0 shares 1 views

Wyandotte County budget shortfall could top $15M-$20M
Wyandotte County budget shortfall could top $15M-$20M

Wyandotte County has been the hardest hit metro county during the coronavirus pandemic, with more cases as a percentage of the population than any other community.

Now, Wyandotte County's Unified Government is looking at a $15 million to $20 million revenue shortfall in the current budget year.

IT'S THE HARDEST HITCOUNTY IN THIS PANDEMIC-- AND NOW WYANDOTTECOUNTY'S UNIFIEDGOVERNMENT IS LOOKINGAT AN ESTIMATED $15$20 MILLION DOLLARBUDGET SHORTFALL.AS 41 ACTION NEWSINVESTIGATOR ANDYALCOCK REPORTS, SOFAR, THERE HAVE BEEN NOSERVICES CUT ORLAYOFFS.IT'S LIKE KCK'S SUPERBOWL.THE KANSAS 400TYPICALLY ATTRACTS 80-THOUSAND FANS.BUT THIS PAST FRIDAY,NASCAR CANCELED ITSEARLY MAY RACE INMARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA.NASCAR IS HOPING TOHAVE RACING SOMETIME INMAY AT A LOCATION TO BEDETERMINED, BUTWITHOUT FANS IN THESTANDSIT LEAVES THIS YEAR'SKANSAS 400, SCHEDULEDFOR MAY 31ST VERY MUIN DOUBT.AND IT COULD BE A MAJORSALES TAX LOSS FOR THEUNIFIED GOVERNMENT.MIKE TAYLOR/UG SPOKESMAN"THERE'S SALES TAX FROMBEER AND GASOLINE ANDFOOD FOR THECOOKOUTS.

YA THATWOULD BE A MAJOR HIT IFWE DON'T HAVE THOSEFANS HERE."ANDY ALCOCK"LONG BEFORE THEPANDEMIC HIT, THE UG'SCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICERESTIMATED THERE WOULBE A $3.8 MILLION DOLLARBUDGET SHORTFALL THISCURRENT FISCAL YEAR OF2020, AND THEGOVERNMENT WOULDHAVE TO PAY OFF THATSHORTFALL BY DIPPINGINTO ITS RESERVE FUNNOW THE CHIEF FINANCIALOFFICER ESTIMATES THESHORTFALL IS GOING TBE $15 TO $20 MILLIONDOLLARS.MIKE TAYLOR/UG SPOKESMAN"IT COULD HAVE APROFOUND AFFECT ONTHE GOVERNMENT AND'RE LOOKING TOPROVIDE THE BASICSERVICES WE NEED TOPROVIDE AND WE'RECONFIDENT WE CAN DOTHAT."THE UG HAS PROVIDEADDITIONAL FUNDING TOTHE HEALTH DEPARTMENTWHERE WALK UP COVID-19TESTING RECENTLY WASINCREASED TO MONDAYTHROUGH FRIDAY.MIKE TAYLOR/UG SPOKESMAN"WE'RE ALSO DOING SOMEPOP UP TESTING CLINICSIN VARIOUSNEIGHBORHOODS WHEREWE THINK PEOPLE MANOT BE ABLE TO GETDOWN HERE TO THEHEALTH DEPARTMENT.ELIZABETH GROENWEGHE/UGCHIEF EPIDEMIOLOGIST"SINCE WE ARE THEHARDEST HIT COUNTY INKANSAS, WE CONTINUENEED MORE RESOURCESAND MORE ASSISTANCE TOPROPERLY CONTAINCOVID-19 IN WYANDOTTECOUNTY."WHILE WYANDOTTECOUNTY STRUGGLES WITHTHE PANDEMIC, SO FAR,THE U-G HASN'T CUT JOBSOR SERVICES.THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT HAS ALSOSENT ADDITIONAL MONEY.THERE ARE ALSOADDITIONAL SMALLBUSINESS LOANOPPORTUNITIES THROUGHTHE U-G.AND AMERICAN ROYAL ISSTILL PLANNING TO BREAGROUND THIS YEAR ON ANEW SITE FOR ITSBARBEQUE FESTIVAL.I'M INVESTIGATOR ANDYALCOCK 41 ACTION N

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