Paying for Tulsa's proposed Vision plan

Tulsa's Vision package is set at $885 million. It would add a penny to the sales tax for 13 years. But what does that mean for you. News on 6 reporter Emory Bryan says the sales tax is something

Tuesday, July 1st 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Tulsa's Vision package is set at $885 million. It would add a penny to the sales tax for 13 years. But what does that mean for you. News on 6 reporter Emory Bryan says the sales tax is something we all pay - with every dollar we spend.

It can raise millions - in this case nearly a billion dollars, a penny at the time. One cent might seem almost worthless - but the penny is a powerful monetary tool. A penny sales tax adds up fast - a penny for every dollar spent. Politicians like it because it's a tax that many people forget - a penny either way doesn't matter to them.

Downtown worker, David Comerford, "8 cents, 9 cents, you really don't notice it when you're at the register, it's just what that one cent goes towards." The Vision plan would turn those pennies into powerful incentives for business - and pay for public improvements countywide.

In Tulsa - the current sales tax is 7.917%. 4.5% goes to the state, the city gets 3%, and the county gets the rest - less than half a cent for every dollar spent. The Vision tax would add another penny. Another downtown worker, Monica Bobbitt, â€œI think if everybody came together it wouldnâ€™t be that much of an increase, you put a penny in you might get ten pennies back maybe.â€

Even though no one likes new sales taxes, some said they would be willing to pay it if they like the list of Vision projects. Downtown worker, Casey Alderman, â€œit's going to benefit us, there should be no complaints. Eventually the city is going to see it, in parks, or swimming pools, recreation for the kids.â€

The extra penny in sales tax would average about $80 per person per year - but it depends entirely on what a person buys and how much they spend. For some it's a lot, for most it's a little - but over time - it's enough to pay for the Vision plan - one penny at the time.

It takes a lot of pennies to add up to that kind of money. In fact - that many pennies â€“ 88.5-billion of them - would fill 432 school buses.

Everything you might want to know about the penny and so much more, click on MegaPenny Project.