Bartlesville voters easily approve sales tax extension
By LAURA SUMMERS World Correspondent on Jun 11, 2013, at 9:37 PM Updated on 7/04/13 at 8:21 AM
Election
Independents have added 4,582 new voters to their ranks since the March purge, a World analysis of voter records indicates. Republicans have added 1,544 new voters.
Most other area school districts that had bond elections Tuesday also approved them.
BARTLESVILLE — Voters in Bartlesville overwhelmingly approved a proposal Tuesday extending for another seven years a half-cent sales tax earmarked for capital improvement projects.
The proposal, which continues a tax that has been in place since 1999, received 1,626 votes in favor — or 76.4 percent; and 503 votes against — or 23.6 percent. The salestax now will remain in effect until 2021.
“This is a solid vote of confidence for the future of this program,” Bartlesville Mayor Tom Gorman said. “Most of this money is going to be spent on things that directly affect the (residents) daily.
I would say 85 percent of this is for public safety and infrastructure and the rest is for parks and other projects.”
City officials estimated $21.1 million in revenue would be generated by the tax through 2021.
Projects to be funded by the tax include $7.55 million in street improvements, including preventive maintenance throughout the city, as well as paving work on Hillcrest Drive from 18th Street to the Caney River.
Forty-nine new police patrol cars are to be purchased with money from the tax, whileand Bartlesville Fire Department will receive three new generators. Two dump trucks with snow equipment are on tap for sales-tax money going to the public works department.
City parks will receive more than $2.3 million from the extended sales tax, with funding to be spent on baseball fields and parking at Price Fields, expansion of the skate park at Johnstone Park and extension of Pathfinder Parkway around M.J. Lee Lake. Bartlesville Community Center also will receive a new roof.
The city of Bartlesville has funded $32 million in projects since the tax went into effect 14 years ago, with 41 percent of the money going for street construction and repairs, 18 percent for drainage, 12 percent for parks, 8 percent for water projects, 7 percent for facilities and 1 percent for downtown.
Election
Independents have added 4,582 new voters to their ranks since the March purge, a World analysis of voter records indicates. Republicans have added 1,544 new voters.
Most other area school districts that had bond elections Tuesday also approved them.
