Tulsa’s Vision renewal and other sales tax questions are set for an April 5 election, but debate over some aspects is ongoing.
One phrase written by Senior Assistant City Attorney Mark Swiney in the proposed ordinance spelling out how public safety tax revenue will be spent spurred argument among city councilors.
"It is not the intent of this limited-purpose tax to supplant public safety funding from the general fund but, rather, to supplement funding from the general fund," Swiney said while reading the ordinance in a council committee meeting Thursday.
Councilor Karen Gilbert took issue with the public safety tax ordinance because it doesn’t include a minimum staffing level or funding amount.
"The purpose of the special fund, the new tax, is to improve services," Gilbert said. "What's the guarantee to the public that we're going to do that if there isn't some sort of number in here?"
Councilors are discussing whether the ordinance should include a minimum staffing or funding level so the police department isn’t raided if the general fund is down. Swiney said writing that clause is bad policy — and illegal.
"The discussion of a guaranteed amount of money to be paid out of the general fund — the appropriate place to put that is in a charter amendment," Swiney said. "And then that does bind the mayor and the council and everyone else in the city."
Councilors made no decision on the matter this week. Swiney said they have to settle it before voters go to the polls.
The public safety tax would provide around $272 million dollars over its first 15 years.
