City Against River Tax Claims Supporters Are Misleading Their Voters

A dispute over advertising for the river tax is heating up in Broken Arrow. City leaders there say their voters are the targets of false advertising. The flyer in question doesn't say Broken Arrow is going to get a riverfront development, though it clearly shows one, and the picture is titled Broken Arrow Riverfront. The News On 6's Emory Bryan reports that flyer was mailed to voters in Broken Arrow.

Some of Broken Arrow's community leaders believe the flyer is a false promise from the River tax campaign.

"And it gave the impression that we are going to get a riverfront development out of the river tax which is not true, it's very misleading," Broken Arrow Mayor Wade McCaleb said.

The flyer went to voters in Broken Arrow last week, and includes a picture titled "Broken Arrow Riverfront." But there is no money in this river tax to build what's shown in the picture.

"There is no plan to do anything after this tax unless we pass another tax," McCaleb said.

Broken Arrow's leaders even claim river development is impractical there, in part because of two nearby sewage treatment plants.

The picture, however, came from the Corps of Engineers, the highest authority on what can and can't happen on the river. County Commissioner Randi Miller says the river tax will lay the groundwork for future development, like what's shown in the picture. "The citizens told Broken Arrow what they wanted, and it's up to Broken Arrow leaders to make it happen with the seed money that's in this plan, which is about $5 million dollars," Tulsa County Commissioner Randi Miller said.

Broken Arrow's elected leaders are united against the tax and they believe supporters are trying to fool voters with the flyer. River tax supporters absolutely deny any attempt to mislead, and will not acknowledge the picture could be confusing.

"Do you see how that is misleading?" News On 6 reporter Emory Bryan asked Commissioner Miller.

"No, because it not once says this is what is going to happen," Miller responded.

And she's right, the text never says that's what's going to happen, but some voters have been confused by the picture.

There's been a lot of debate over the river proposal. Voters cast their ballots on Tuesday for the river tax, for complete coverage of the River Vote, click here.

Originally aired 10/8/2007 5:45 PM - Updated 10/9/2007 6:04 AM