The City of Tulsa’s October sales tax check, which covers the period from mid-August 2015 to mid-September 2015, as reported by the Oklahoma Tax Commission, totaled $19,835,574, showing a 0.07 percent increase from the same period one year ago. This total is 2.9 percent below budget estimates.
“Our tax collections so far this fiscal year are flat when compared to a year ago,” Mayor Dewey F. Bartlett said. “Our City leadership continues to face slow growth and now that we have moved from annual financial planning to two-year budget plans, we must be diligent to stay the course, using our resources wisely, and stay on target not only for this fiscal year, but also for FY 2017.”
Use taxes for October totaled $1,702,878, which is down 8.9 percent from the same period a year ago, and 10.5 percent below budget estimates.
Sales tax and use tax collections provide two-thirds of the City of Tulsa’s general fund. Vital services such as police and fire protection, 911 emergency dispatch, snow and ice removal from streets, pothole repair and mowing of grass in medians and parks are supported by sales and use taxes.