Here is what I read before the Lawrence City Commission tonight in regards to the 2026-2030 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP):
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Commissioners, fellow citizens
My name is Mike Courtney.
With this CIP we are about to see 5 years of increased property taxes and utility payments with no financial restraint.
This affects fixed-income individuals, such as our retired neighbors, and new families, like the ones in my neighborhood, Prairie Park, the hardest.
This also makes it harder for essential workers like teachers, firefighters, police, and nurses to live in the community in which they serve.
I spoke to three families before this meeting, and we figured out how much their property taxes have gone up in the last 4 years:
20, 21, and 31%
I asked one if they had made that up in wages?
He laughed at me and said, “Mike, that doesn’t include our water and sewer bill that went up 54 bucks a month, our electricity bill that went up 29 bucks a month, and our gas bill that went up 23 dollars a month! We are getting priced out of this town that we love.”
This, with the potential rec center fees are going to make a hard situation worse.
I’m not just hear to just voice complaints, as there is something that you can do.
Prioritize the projects in the CIP. Expand the CIP from 5 years to 10 years. This is similar to other large cities in Kansas. That will allow you to factor in the current property tax and utility costs and to drive down those down over time.
People in this town are hurting; people are upset. Help our fellow citizens feel that this town will do what is right for them and their families.
Thank you for your time