Sales Tax For Fire Department Funding On Creek County Ballot

Tuesday is election day in Oklahoma and Creek County voters will decide a sales tax increase that would help fund fire departments.

 Creek County has 15 fire departments and all but three are volunteer departments that mainly depend on things like fundraisers and bake sales to keep their stations running.

 “Right now [volunteer firefighters] are not only fighting fires but then they're coming back and they're having a bake sale or they're having some kind of fundraiser stuff and then it turns into a full-time thing and then they have their [paying] job to go to,” said Mannford Fire Chief Bob Evans.

 On Tuesday voters will decide if they want to help boost funding to those departments.

 A 1/6th cent sales tax is on the ballot. The increase would be about one penny for every 6 dollars spent. The money generated from the tax would be split equally between the 15 departments.      

 The 15 departments include Bristow, Depew, Drumright, Freedom Hill, Kiefer, Kellyville, Mannford, Milfay, Mounds, Oilton, Olive, Sapulpa, Shamrock, Silver City, and Slick.

 Evans said the money would go toward updating bunker gear, replacing aging equipment, and firefighter training.

 "We're one of the few counties in Oklahoma that doesn't have this already and that's a key thing because whereas all the other surrounding counties are helping their departments, right now we're getting nothing out of Creek County. So we're just asking for the support of the people to help us, help them,” Evans said.

Drumright Fire Chief Brett Lunsford said if passed, fire departments will be able to buy equipment needed to help lower homeowner insurance rates to customers in more rural areas around the county.

“There are some areas of Creek County that homeowners can't purchase insurance because their fire department's not recognized as a fire department,” said Lunsford.

If the sales tax increase passes, it will go into effect on July 1st.