Taxpayers To Pay For Streets Plan

By Emory Bryan, News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Voters will decide November 4 on a proposal that could begin major repairs on Tulsa streets.  The Fix Our Streets plan, if approved, will cost a total of $452 million.

How does that break down to each typical taxpayer?

The repairs will be made all over Tulsa and everyone will end up paying something for the work.

A property tax will only apply to Tulsa landowners, of course, but the sales tax will apply to everyone who spends money in the city limits.

The potholes are plentiful and there's no doubt it will take a lot of money to fix them. To get started, the city has a $452 million repair plan on the ballot.

You might have seen the advertising that mentions only the results, not the costs of street repairs.

The money for the streets package comes from two places, a sales tax and a property tax.

The sales tax is an extension, not an increase, of current city and county sales tax, amounting to 1 point 167 cents for every dollar spent.

The property tax is an increase that varies over time.  The city finance department figures the maximum increase at $95 a year for a home valued at $150,000.

Together, the sales and property taxes will raise an estimated $452 million.

"So the campaign is straight forward, here's what you'll get for your money if you vote two for Tulsa, on propositions one and two," said Campaign Coordinator Cheryl Lovelady.

If voters approve the two propositions, the sales tax extensions would run through the summer of 2014.

The property tax would begin in 2010 and run until $285 million is collected.

Both taxes would only be collected within the city limits of Tulsa.

The city is hoping that both items on the ballot pass, but they are distinct and not dependent on the other except that to do all of the planned projects, both need to pass.

The vote is November 4.