Topeka budget for 2025 shows increases due to inflation, wage increases

TOPEKA (KSNT) - City leadership is releasing the budget proposal for next year on Tuesday.

City of Topeka spokesman Daniel Garrett issued a press release on July 30 regarding the proposed operating budget for fiscal year 2025. The plan comes courtesy of the city's Department of Administrative and Financial Services.

In total, the city budget for FY 2025 is $400.3 million with a balanced general fund budget of $128.4 million. The general fund is the largest single fund, supporting many of the city's municipal services.

Garrett said the city's various departments have had to adjust their budgets due to inflation and an increase in employee wages. This is to ensure the city can continue to offer its services to local residents.

“We have developed a budget for fiscal year 2025 that will allow the city to provide essential services to the citizens of Topeka," said Ben Hart, acting chief financial officer." The Finance team has done an outstanding job balancing current needs with long-term sustainability. We have aligned city resources with our taxpayers' highest priorities, and this budget will enable us to advance the City of Topeka."

A highlight of the FY 2025 budget proposal is an increase of $9.43 million for personnel and contracting costs and $4.2 million for contractual services. This is due to a combination of union contracts, inflation and other contractual obligations.

Garrett said the budget will be presented at city leadership meetings throughout August followed by a public budget hearing where people can give feedback on September 3. The budget is expected to be adopted on September 10. You can read through the full proposed budget FY 2025 can be found online by clicking here.

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