A grassroots organization focused on the intelligent and sustainable development, preservation and revitalization of Tulsa.
 
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?
March 29, 2024, 01:49:28 am
Pages: [1]   Go Down
  Print  
Author Topic: 2017 SJR 11: Ad Valorem Tax for Cities  (Read 4020 times)
cannon_fodder
All around good guy.
T-Town Elder
******
Offline Offline

Posts: 9379



« on: February 02, 2017, 08:39:46 am »

Quote
A Joint Resolution directing the Secretary of State to refer to the people for their approval or rejection a proposed amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution by adding a new Section 10C to Article X; authorizing incorporated cities and towns to levy ad valorem tax for specified purposes with voter approval; limiting amount of tax; authorizing Legislature to enact certain laws to implement provision; defining term; providing ballot title; and directing filing.
Full Text: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2017-18%20INT/SRES/SJR11%20INT.PDF
Legislative page: http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=SJR11&Session=1700

It would allow a vote to enable cities to levy a 10 mils per dollar (1%) property tax to be levied by cities to pay for public safety, including operating costs.

Why it is limited to public safety instead of Oklahoma City trusting that local government understands their own needs and hear the voices of their citizens, who knows.  It would also make Tulsa's new sales tax for public safety more disappointing.  BUT - it is a step away from sales tax as a lifeline, a step towards local government control, and  step towards a more sound fiscal policy ---- I assume its doomed.


Logged

- - - - - - - - -
I crush grooves.
TheArtist
T-Town Elder
******
Offline Offline

Posts: 6804



WWW
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2017, 09:49:11 am »

Well its a start!
Logged

"When you only have two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one, and a lily with the other."-Chinese proverb. "Arts a staple. Like bread or wine or a warm coat in winter. Those who think it is a luxury have only a fragment of a mind. Mans spirit grows hungry for art in the same way h
PonderInc
City Dweller
City Father
*****
Offline Offline

Posts: 2460


« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2017, 10:49:19 am »

Agree that cities should have the ability to tax themselves as they see fit, for whatever reasons they think matter. 

Here's the COT budget breakdown for 2016-2017 from the Executive Summary:
https://www.cityoftulsa.org/media/1429/section2-execsummary.pdf

Transportation and Public Works: $316,700,000
Public Safety: $180,200,000
Debt: $138,600,000
Administration: $76,200,000
Culture and Recreation: $36,300,000
Social and Economic: $20,000,000

Given that the largest line-item in our city budget is "Transportation and Public works (and given that our infrastructure is falling apart) it makes sense that cities might want to use property taxes for updating water, sewer, stormwater, roads, bridges, etc. That would also allow for some creative solutions to those problems.  I'm not policy wonk, but I could envision a municipal property tax system based on the SF of land you occupy as a basis for an infrastructure tax. (Since larger lot sizes equate to more feet of water pipes, sewer pipes, stormwater pipes, fire hydrants, road miles, etc).

However, if necessary, I'm OK with the public safety condition.  Public Safety makes up the second largest chunk of our municipal budget and sucks the budgetary life out of all other priorities.  One example of this is how our parks budget always takes a hit, because nobody wants to cut police and fire.  So, instead of fully-funded parks programming with staffed community centers, sports leagues and educational and fitness opportunities, we just shutter the park facilities and arrest kids who find themselves causing trouble on the streets.  Hmmmm.....

Basically, I'm for anything that takes us a step away from total reliance on sales taxes.  If this is the first baby step, I'm good with that.
Logged
TeeDub
Guest
« Reply #3 on: March 07, 2017, 08:42:11 pm »


Just following the trend here....

Why did asset management go from $15-16 million in 2012-2014 to $28-30 million in 2016-17?
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

 
  Hosted by TulsaConnect and Powered by SMF 1.1.21 | SMF © 2015, Simple Machines
 

Mission

 

"TulsaNow's Mission is to help Tulsa become the most vibrant, diverse, sustainable and prosperous city of our size. We achieve this by focusing on the development of Tulsa's distinctive identity and economic growth around a dynamic, urban core, complemented by a constellation of livable, thriving communities."
more...

 

Contact

 

2210 S Main St.
Tulsa, OK 74114
(918) 409-2669
info@tulsanow.org