Editor's note: An error was made in the original editorial regarding the property tax on the Liberty school bond. It has been corrected in this version.
Today is election day for many school boards, bond issues and a few municipal seats. Go vote.
Oklahoma’s spring elections have historically attracted the lowest voter turnout. Often winners and propositions are decided by narrow margins and a small group of voters.
In last year’s April Tulsa Public Schools board election for District 3, only 1,028 voters cast a ballot. Incumbent Jeannettie Marshall won by 26 votes.
The rural areas are even lower. Grove’s 2021 school board election attracted only 121 voters, with the winner decided by 10 ballots. Chelsea elected two members to its city board with only 194 votes cast.
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Suburban areas are just a hair better. Only 779 people in Sand Springs turned out for that school district’s board election last year.
Even when the issue is taxes, people don’t appear moved. A Liberty school bond last year was passed by 87 of the 105 ballots cast.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
Oklahomans consistently say public schools are an important priority, but that starts at the neighborhood level.
In the Tulsa area, three school districts have bond proposals on the ballot. Only Liberty schools would see a tax increase, the others would replace existing bonds. These would pay for infrastructure like buildings and computers. Under state law, they would have to get 60% approval to pass.
Owasso Public Schools has a two-part, $83.96 million package to be paid over five years. It includes $22.7 for saferooms in two schools, $16.4 million for technology and $11.8 million for texts, library materials and equipment for the fine arts program.
In Kiefer Public Schools, a $29.1 million package to be paid over 20 years would include a new agriculture building, transportation facility and multipurpose building.
In Liberty, an $8 million proposal would provide a new gymnasium and six additional classrooms at the elementary school.
If approved, the millage rate within Liberty’s attendance area would increase from 21.17 to 24.99. A mill is $1 in tax for every $1,000 in assessed property value. A homeowner in the Liberty's attendance area currently paying $100 in property taxes per year would pay an additional $4.11 in Okmulgee County or $3.57 in Tulsa County if the bond is approved.
In TPS, voters in District 4 will decide between incumbent Shawna Keller and E’Lena Ashley. In District 7, Susan Lamkin and Tim Harris are vying for the seat.
In Union schools, Zone 2 voters will choose between incumbent Dr. Chris McNeil and Shelley Gwartney. In Jenks, current school board President Terry Keeling is being challenged by Ashley Cross.
In Bixby schools, Seat 2 is being sought by incumbent Amanda Stephens and Jake Rowland. The Catoosa School Board District 4 features incumbent Joe Deere and Derrick Smith on the ballot.
Owasso school board President Rhonda Mills is being challenged by Joshua Stanton. In Sand Springs, incumbent Mike Mullins in Seat 2 is running against MaRanda Trimble-Kerley. Mounds voters will choose between Justin Green and Laci Jones for Seat 2.
Candidates for Tulsa Tech’s Seat 3 are Mark Griffin and Jim Provenzano.
For those eligible to vote, exercise this basic American right. Read up on the candidates in the Tulsa World to be informed, and go vote.
Tulsa World Opinion podcast: Election season is upon us
Also in this week's podcast, Ginnie Graham and Bob Doucette discuss school board elections, election grants, Gov. Kevin Stitt signing the bill banning transgender girl athletes and more.
Throwback Tulsa: Voters pass Vision Tulsa seven years ago on this day in 2016
Breaking down Vision Tulsa
On April 5, 2016, voters in Tulsa faced three propositions for the Vision Tulsa package, with the choice to approve all, some or none of the sales tax proposals.
The total package was a 0.55 percent sales tax that would be renewed from Vision 2025’s expiring 0.6 percent tax.
Where the money will go?
If all three proposals pass, Vision 2025 taxes were estimated to generate approximately $815 million in revenue during the first 15 years.
How that money will be divided:
Transportation: $102 million
Economic development: $511 million
Public safety: $202 million
Proposition 1: Public safety
Type of tax: Permanent.
How much it will cost: Starts at 0.16 percent Jan. 1, 2017 increasing permanently to 0.26 percent July 1, 2021.
How much it will bring in: $202 million estimated the first 15 years of the tax, about $13.5 million per year.
It is intended to add about 160 new police officers, 65 new firefighters and 16 additional 911 personnel.
Proposition 2: Transportation
Type of tax: Permanent.
How much it will cost: 0.085 percent beginning Jan. 1, 2017
How much it will bring in: $102 million estimated over 15 years. estimated in the first 15 years of the tax, about $6.8 million per year.
Forty-four percent would go toward street maintenance and 56 percent would go toward transit operations and capital.
Transit highlights:
• Bus Rapid Transit lines on Route 66 (11th Street) and Peoria Avenue
• $14 million toward beginning plans for a downtown transit hub
• Expanding bus service to Sunday
The streets portion would go toward adding street maintenance crews to improve pothole repairs, striping and other maintenance needs. it would also add streetlight technicians to synchronize lights, affecting traffic movement city wide.
Proposition 3: Economic development
Type of tax: Temporary, 15-year tax.
How much will it cost: 0.305 percent beginning Jan. 1, 2017. It would then increase to 0.805 percent July 1, 2021, for four years before returning to 0.305 percent July 1, 2025, until it expires Dec. 31, 2031.
How much it will bring in: How much it will bring in: $511 million estimated over 15 years.
The proposition funds a list of projects agreed upon by city officials. Highlights include:
• $127.2 million for two low-water dams on the Arkansas River — one at Zink Lake and the other in the south Tulsa/Jenks area, as well as Arkansas River corridor infrastructure
• $65 million for Extensive remodeling and expansion of the Gilcrease Museum
• $55 million for Renovations to the Cox Business Center including renovating and repurposing the old arena
• $27.3 million to upgrade city-owned infrastructure at Tulsa International Airport
• $25 million for improvements at the Tulsa Zoo, including an expanded front entry
Will Tulsa's sales tax change if it passes?
8.517 percent total sales tax in Tulsa before vote on Vision proposals.
8.517 percent total sales tax in Tulsa if all parts of Vision pass, including county’s part.
Vision Tulsa
Supporters of the Vision tax package, including Tulsa City Councilors Jeannie Cue (right), G.T. Bynum, Connie Dodson, Anna America, and Mike Neal (left) from the Tulsa Regional Chamber celebrate at an election watch party for the Vision tax package at the Bond event center in Tulsa, Okla., on Tuesday, April 5, 2016.
Vision Tulsa
The Cox Business Center in downtown Tulsa hosted a project launch to mark the beginning of the venue's $55 million Vision Tulsa funded renovation and reconfiguration on July 9, 2018. Manager Kerry Painter, Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum, SMG Tulsa General Manager Jeff Nickler and Cox Communications Vice President and Market Leader Roger Ramseyer, pose with ceremonial sledgehammers at the event.
Vision Tulsa
New sidewalks and ramps in front of Roy Clark Elementary school that is part of the Vision Tulsa Public Schools Safety First Initiative in Tulsa, OK, Aug. 7, 2018.
Vision Tulsa
American Airlines employees listen to speakers during a ribbon cutting for the Vision Tulsa Airport Infrastructure Project in hangar 2-D at the American Airlines Tulsa Maintenance Base Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019. The hangar was enlarged to allow for work on larger airplanes.
Vision Tulsa
Motorists on Mingo Rd. a large apartment complex at 74th Street Wednesday, July 31, 2019. Mingo Rd. will be widened from 2 lanes to 5 lanes as part of a Vision Tulsa project.
Vision Tulsa
Spring break visitors enter the Tulsa Zoo in Tulsa, Okla., taken on March 17, 2016, the main entrance and elephant enclosure are earmarked for improvements in the Vision package.
