HUTCHINSON, Kan. — There has been a lot of talk about legislative approval that will allow the Kansas State Fair to keep 5 percent of the 6 1/2 percent sales tax it generates from events throughout the year.

How exactly will that work?

The sales tax is collected by the Kansas Revenue Department. The sales tax would then come back to the fair, according to Interim Fair Manager Bob Moeder:

 

He notes that anything purchased on the fairgrounds, such as big items, would need to be picked up on the fairgrounds:

 

With as much as $400,000 possibly coming in each year, some wonder what the fair will do in terms of capital improvements on the fairgrounds. Moeder didn’t give any specifics, but did talk about what is already happening:

 

These sales tax dollars will allow officials to bond projects, much like the city and county do. This will allow fair officials to pay those projects off over time. Despite the infusion of cash from the sales tax, Moeder says the fair could possibly look at grants for things on the grounds:

 

Officials are already looking at new street signs on the fairgrounds. The fair will purchase these signs, but the city of Hutchinson has agreed to install them.