The Topeka City Council on Tuesday approved a plan budgeting $136.4 million in street work and $256 million in utility work.
The Capital Improvement Plan has two phases projects scheduled for work between 2022-2026, and projects being considered for 2027-2031.
“The CIP budget that we have presented for approval today provides targeted financing for some of our biggest needs within our city,” city manager Brent Trout said.
How will the projects be funded?
There are a variety of ways to fund the hundreds of millions of dollars worth of projects. Revenue bonds will fund around $219.5 million of budget expenses from 2022-2026. Revenue bonds will bear the brunt of the budget, accounting for 43.6% of spending. No other revenue source will fund more than 15% of the expenses from 2022-2026.
Daniel Brown is a boxing coach, IT professional and general manager of O.C.W. Professional Wrestling, a Topeka-based wrestling league.
“My character is the general manager,” Brown said. “It started off with a really good guy. Everyone loved me, and they would cheer me when I walked out.”
Brown said his in-ring character was disliked by the fans after he “screwed over” a hometown wrestler in one of the shows, but Brown eventually did win them back. Brown said he hosts the shows because all the proceeds from the events go to charity, which makes a difference in the community.