Improve Our Tulsa Sales Tax Package Includes Nearly $100M For Street Projects

In less than two weeks, voters in Tulsa will decide whether to approve the $814 million Improve Our Tulsa sales tax package.

If passed, nearly $100 million will go toward previously-approved street projects that have gone over budget because of inflation.

On Sheridan between 31st and 41st Street, voters approved a project to fix the road, but the expected cost of that project has gone from $1.5 million to over $2 million.

Money from the bond package passed in 2019 was supposed to be enough to improve this road, but District 8 City Councilor Phil Lakin says inflation raised the cost by 34 percent.

"Asphalt costs have gone up from about $2.50 per unit to seven bucks per unit, concrete costs and other materials and labor have increased as well," says Lakin.

He says they usually build in a certain amount for unexpected costs, but situations like the Covid-19 pandemic were never expected.

"Unfortunately with these higher inflation periods, we have to go out and raise the money in order to complete the projects as promised," says Lakin.

Some citizens voiced concerns about whether this bond project will deliver on its promise to fund these projects, but Lakin says setting aside $93 million in the new package was the only way to get it done.

"Luckily we had this bind package coming up so we're able to insert this inflation adjuster into this bond package so that we could complete the projects that were in Improve Our Tulsa completely," says Lakin.

Lakin says he's confident this bond will pass on August 8th, because Tulsans have shown in the past that they value investing in the city's infrastructure.

"These are all asphalt projects that are mill, patch, and overlay rehabilitation projects so taking probably an inadequate street, maybe a poor street in some places, and making it nearly brand new," he says.

If the bond fails to pass, Lakin says some projects would have to be reevaluated.