This archive photo shows Lawrence City Hall.

The Lawrence City Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to put on the November ballot the issue of increasing the city’s sales tax to fund affordable housing efforts from 0.05% to 0.10%.

The sales tax increase proposed by City Manager Craig Owens in July would add an additional nickel to every $100 purchase in Lawrence. State law requires all sales tax increases in the city to be voted on.

Much of the new money will fund homeless assistance programs the city set up with temporary federal funds it received during the pandemic, but most of that federal funding is set to expire in 2025.

Owens previously told the Journal-World that the sales tax increase would double the amount of money the city currently receives to address housing issues, from $1.25 million to $2.5 million. Such an increase would be critical if the city wants to maintain those services without federal funding.

Commissioner Lisa Larsen initially said she felt uncomfortable voting after public comments during a public hearing on the city exceeding the revenue-neutral tax rate led her to question whether there was “an appetite out there” to pass the special tax increase.

Commissioner Amber Sellers said while she understands that point of view, the commission should not prejudge the possibility of the public voting to approve funds that she believes are urgently needed to help the city address the problem.

“We have only solved the problem of homelessness with a Band-Aid,” Sellers said.