Fixing Our Streets

The sales pitch for repairing Tulsa roads and for the taxes to pay the bill opens.  Tulsans met Tuesday night for the first of seven town hall meetings on the subject.  The News On 6's Emory Bryan reports there's no debate about the sorry condition of Tulsa's streets.  So, the real question is whether people will be willing to pay more in taxes to get better streets.

The City of Tulsa dug out a section of 11th Street to rebuild it.  It's part of a road repair bonanza in Tulsa that is still not enough to keep up with wear and tear.  Drivers are frustrated enough that some are willing to pay more in taxes to fix the streets.

"If they could prove the construction was going to get done quicker I would be," said one driver.

The city council and the mayor hope other Tulsans will feel the same.  They're trying to make the case in meetings for each council district.

"We didn't get here overnight and we're not going to get out of it overnight, but we've got a plan that minimizes the impact on taxpayers," said Tulsa City Councilor Bill Martinson.

The city wants to plan and pay for the next 12 years of road construction and repair.  It would address arterial streets like 11th, and include things like the new sidewalks being poured on South Sheridan.

"It's never a good time.  This is a bad time, with gas and grocery prices, but if we wait another year, five years, the expenses are going to continue to mount," said Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor.

Newly elected Tulsa City Councilor David Patrick says voters told him to get the streets fixed.

"And, they said we want someone to do something with our streets and fix them," said Councilor David Patrick.

But, it all depends on whether that frustration is enough to make people vote themselves a tax increase.

Right now the plan is to keep sales taxes the same, just extend them and increase property taxes.  Councilor Patrick said he believed a person in a $100,000 home would have an increase of about $60 a year.

For more information about "Complete Our Streets", CLICK HERE.

Meeting schedule...