Transient Guest Tax Committee Meeting September 18, 2026

The City of Topeka's Transient Guest Tax Committee met on September 18, 2026, to review the current status and allocation of transient guest tax funds. The committee discussed the permitted uses of the tax revenue, emphasizing that funds are designated for tourism-related activities and not for police or fire services. Financial reports highlighted that collections have fallen short of projections, with a shortfall of approximately $116,000 expected for some organizations. The committee reviewed the distribution of funds to various entities, including Visit Topeka, Sunflower Soccer, and others, and discussed plans to increase the transient guest tax rate from 7% to 8.5% starting in 2027. They also considered reallocating administrative fees to better cover costs and discussed potential increases in funding for Arts Connect, Dto, and TAC, which have not seen increases since 2016. Future funding allocations and potential new projects will be addressed in subsequent meetings. No formal votes on new spending were taken during this session, but motions to approve previous minutes were passed.