Across Oklahoma, voters went to the polls for a slew of local races on school bonds, city taxes and more.
In Norman, voters approved a hotel tax increase and the construction of a permanent homeless shelter. Broken Arrow voters signed off on a $400 million bond package, while rejecting a sales tax hike. And Inola Public Schools narrowly squeaked through a bond proposal.
For a full list of results, visit the election board's website. Results in several big races around the state are below.
Cities pass charter updates
Multiple passed updates to their charters.
In Piedmont, voters approved six questions designed by officials to, in their view, bring the city's founding document in line with the times. For example, one question asked to increase the maximum compensation for city council members from $35/month to $150/month. Another question asked to remove the $7,500 maximum for public improvement expenses made without entering into a bidding process for vendors, and instead uses a more general statement that the city must comply with state law on public improvement projects. You can read all the propositions here.
In Norman, voters approved similar questions. One change to the city charter will move the start date of officials' terms from the first Tuesday in July to the first Tuesday after any scheduled runoff elections, starting with even-numbered wards in 2028. It was given the green light by 73% of voters.
Another, approved by a 55% majority, broadens the credential requirements for the role of city auditor; currently, the selected individual must be a CPA (Certified Public Accountant), but the change allows certifications such as Certified Internal Auditor and Certified Fraud Examiner. Norman's previous city auditor was not CPA-certified, and reportedly resigned after the city discovered an incorrect job listing did not align with the charter's CPA requirement.
Norman voters agree to tax questions
Norman asked three other questions about municipal affairs that don't change the city's charter. One is the renewal of the city's streets bond, which was first approved in 2005 to maintain streets and sidewalks. It passed by 72% of voters and will not increase the property tax rate.
Another question raised the hotel tax from 8% to 10%, and added overnight stays in RV parks to the taxed items. It was approved by 70% of voters.
More controversial is the $8 million bond to construct a permanent homeless shelter, which passed with just shy of 55% of the vote. The city currently has an emergency shelter, but has been working to establish a more permanent option. The bond will increase property taxes; for a home worth $100,000, the tax increase will be $3.26 for the year.
Some Norman residents have been opposed to the shelter's planned location, which is on land already purchased on Reed Avenue south of Main Street, near other mental health and homelessness resources such as Food and Shelter and the Central Oklahoma Community Mental Health Center. Prior to the purchase, those who lived near the area were concerned about issues that could be brought to residents if the shelter were established in the area.
K-12 schools win bonds
Several schools have put up bond proposals — and some of them are big.
In Tulsa, a nearly $600 million bond package will cover everything from student career development to technology upgrades. Each of the four parts was approved by over 80% of voters. It does not come with a tax increase. You can read about the package from Tulsa Flyer.
Voters in Inola just barely passed a bond issue after trying similar packages twice previously. The two propositions are pushing up against a $60 million total, divided equally at $29.9 million. Each earned just over 60% of the vote — the minimum needed for school bonds to pass.
The district says it needed the bond issue to pass because enrollment is over capacity and more students are expected to attend Inola schools as the surrounding suburbs expand. If the city didn't agree to a bond, the district says it would have needed to purchase two additional modular buildings to hold students, in addition to the ones already in use.
The bond will last 18 years and increase property taxes by 10%.
In Okmulgee, Central Tech asked voters to increase its millage — the rate at which properties are taxed per $ 1,000 of home value — from 3 to 5 to cover operational costs and potential building renovations. However, voters declined to do so, with 51% of ballots cast against the question.
Cities try for capital improvements, city maintenance
Several municipalities proposed bonds and other tax measures to fund city infrastructure. In Broken Arrow, a $415 million package would cover over 100 projects, like improving intersections, parks and more. The seven parts of the package to be paid for by extending the current property tax rate were approved, but a temporary sales tax increase to fund sports facilities was rejected.
Other communities proposed sales tax measures to maintain their cities. Voters in West Siloam Springs and Maysville decided on 1% sales taxes with different outcomes. West Siloam Springs residents approved a new tax for municipal government expenses, with 70% of voters giving the proposal a thumbs up. But in Maysville, nearly 85% of voters rejected a measure to redirect a portion of the current tax to pay outstanding debts.
In Seminole, voters approved renewing a 0.25-cent sales tax for emergency services through 2031.
Yukon voters decided against a hotel tax increase. Approving the proposal would have raised that rate from 5% to 9%. On Facebook, some residents expressed opposition to the principle of the tax, even if they wouldn't be paying.
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
