Temporary Sales tax increases, like the one proposed on Proposition 8 in Broken Arrow are rarely temporary. Proposition 8 calls for a 0.5 % sales tax increase for 5 years with the expenditure of $46,555,000 to improve sports facilities.
Tulsans are aware of this problem. In 2001 a Temporary Sales Tax vote was held in Tulsa and has been passed ever since by selling it as not a sales tax increase but a continuation of the present tax. The reason it is called temporary is that each vote is only for a specific amount of time and after that it must be renewed to continue.
The Temporary Sales Tax increase on the April 7 ballot for Broken Arrow has drawn opposition. A group named Taxed Enough Already has sent out a promo card by mail warning Broken Arrow residents that if Proposition 8 passes it would raise the Sales Tax by 0.5% making the effective Sales Tax to over 10 percent.
They are saying that this Sales Tax Proposition has been mixed in with seven Bond Proposals, and it is a sales tax not a bond issue. They are urging Broken Arrow residents to Vote No.
It is deceptive to mix the sales tax proposition into what on the City of Broken Arrow’s website calls the 2026 General Obligation Bond. In the actual Proposition 8 information though it does call it a Sales Tax.
If the Temporary Sales Tax does pass, parts of Broken Arrow will be tied with Bixby for a 10.1% sales tax – the highest sales tax rate in the County. Owasso is not far behind at 10.05%. Tulsa is the lowest at 8.517%.
Proposal 8 (the sales tax increase) money would be to improve sports facilities which include:
- Arrowhead Sports Complex $13,580,000
- Indian Springs Sports Complex $8,200,000
- Indian Springs Sports Complex – Soccer $8,300,000
- Indian Springs Sports Complex – Baseball $10,000,000
- Indian Springs Sports Complex – Adult Softball $1,800,000
- Challenger Sports Complex $1,275,000
- Nienhuis Sports Complex $3,350,000
Total Project Improvements $46,555,000
The Arrowhead Sports Complex improvements would include turf conversion – Infields at 12 fields, Regrading and Sodding – Outfields at 12 fields, a LED lighting system retrofit, backstop improvements, renovating warmup areas, landscaping and tree improvements, front entrance work, parking lot improvements, retaining wall repairs, sidewalk repairs, access gates, and a secondary entrance on west side.
The Indian Springs Sports Complex improvements would include parking improvements, common area upgrades picnic tables, shade, trees, signage, equipment and others, a parks department maintenance building, a turf conversion of 4 large soccer fields, an LED field lighting system retrofit for soccer, sidewalk connections to various soccer fields, a turf conversion for baseball infields at 16 various size fields, regrading and sodding 16 various size baseball outfields, a LED field lighting system retrofit for the baseball fields, a new restroom near fields 9 and 10 at the baseball complex, safety netting for the baseball fields, turf conversion at two softball infields, regrading and sodding at 2 softball outfields, concession stand renovation in the softball complex, and an LED lighting system retrofit for the softball complex.
The Challenger Sports Complex would be improved with a new playground, batting cages, a bridge connection between field 1 and fields 2,3,4, and a parking lot expansion.
The Nienhuis Sports Complex for football and lacrosse would be improved with an LED field lighting system, entry plaza concrete upgrades, security lighting in the parking lot, parking lot repaving, drainage improvements, netting, a a new restroom near practice fields.