Community investment pays dividends

In places like Johnson County, the strength of a community is not measured only in tax receipts or infrastructure projects. It is measured in the hard work of people who keep families afloat, children safe, provide services for the elderly and businesses connected. This month, the city of Buffalo and the Johnson County Commission made a decision that recognizes that fact.

By each approving $250,000 in optional 1% sales tax funds for nongovernmental organizations, local leaders have chosen to invest in the civic backbone of Johnson County. Together, the allocations create a $500,000 pool for nonprofits – up from $287,500 last year – at a moment when sales tax revenues are running strong.

The numbers tell a reassuring story. Even after setting aside $250,000, the county will have more than $1.1 million in 1% funds available for departments and core services. The city’s contribution represents about 14% of its projected sales tax revenues – a meaningful increase from last year, but far from the 30% allocations of earlier eras. This is not a reckless expansion. It is a measured recalibration.

The economic case is straightforward. Nonprofits provide essential services that the government would struggle to deliver as efficiently. Child care enables parents to work. After-school programs build self confidence while reducing anxiety and improving academic outcomes. The Family Crisis Center offers protection and stability in moments of profound vulnerability. The Chamber of Commerce supports the small businesses that anchor the local economy.

If the city or county attempted to replicate these services directly, the cost would be far greater. Nonprofits leverage volunteer time, private donations and grant funding. Public dollars become seed money, not sole support. That makes each dollar go a little further. It’s a wise investment of public funds.

City leaders were right to weigh their own needs. Police vehicles are expensive. Infrastructure projects loom. Stormwater systems and playgrounds do not maintain themselves. Councilwoman Myra Camino and Mayor Shane Schrader acknowledged those realities, and they were prudent to do so.

But prudence does not mean retreat. After several years of tighter allocations, many organizations have felt strain. A modest increase signals stability without jeopardizing core government responsibilities.

This is what responsible local governance looks like: cautious, not timid; forward-looking, but grounded in present needs. As oil and gas production boosts local revenues, Buffalo and Johnson County have chosen to share that strength with the institutions that make daily life possible.

In the end, this is not simply about percentages of a sales tax. It is about whether a community believes that child care, crisis services, economic development or the myriad of other services that non-profits provide are worth sustaining. Our city and county have answered that question clearly. They are.