For The Transcript

The next City Election will be Tuesday, a runoff election for Ward 2 Council member plus three issue ballots: A proposition for a $49,500,000 general obligation (GO) bond issue for a new City owned library building for the Pioneer Library System's use and adjacent parking garage: Proposition II a $11,250,000 GO bond for remodeling various City owned buildings (including the existing present City owned library building, once vacated) paid for via the City's ad valorem taxpayers' sinking fund within 25 years. Another proposition for a seven-year 1/2 cent sales tax increase for the police and fire departments.

Also Cleveland County Commissioners have called for a county wide election on May 13 for an additional two mills support millage for the Pioneer Library System. The other two counties within the Pioneer Library System (McClain and Pottawatomie) also will have library millage increase elections.

These tax dollar propositions can fall into two categories -- needs and wants. Certainly the 1/2 cent sales tax increase for safety (police and fire departments) falls into the category of need -- basic services. The sales tax is needed to improve our police and fire departments, more manpower, mobile equipment and two more fire stations. This is detailed in Ordinance 0-0708-32 which the City Council approved March ll.

Section 13 of this ordinance also addresses the spending on any excess revenue from this 1/2 cent sales tax: "The excess for such other public needs as may be identified and budgeted by Council after evaluation considering at least one of the following criteria: projects or expenditures that enhance public safety services; projects or expenditures that enhance emergency management capabilities; projects or expenditures that provide direct services to the citizen; projects or expenditures that help ensure long term financial stability of the City; and/or projects or expenditures that provide for continuity of existing City services."

Why the word "temporary tax" for permanent positions? It allows our elected officials to face reality. Voters want results not just promises or good intentions. This gives our elected officials an excellent opportunity to finally establish credibility and create more trust in council's actions and in the administration of our City. Trust is established with time, not instantaneously.

Before the end of the seven years, the City Council if necessary can request renewal of the sales tax and thus let the resident voters decide if the City Council and administration have done a credible job on the expenditure of the expected revenue. This would preclude the obvious embarrassment of figuring out new ways to continually ask for more tax revenue to solve the same promises while continuously trying to use tax revenues to expand into the tenuous field of incentives and growth.

A definite plus of this sales tax proposition is the revenue will not be siphoned off: Ordinance 0-0708-32 "Section 19 Exclusion from "non-dedicated" tax as contemplated in the Norman University North Park Project Plan, and accordingly no revenues generated from this additional tax levied on retail sales occurring within the Increment District shall be considered part of the Sales Tax Increment apportioned to the University North Park Increment Finance District."

Taxpayers must insist that our tax dollars are first and foremost serving our current residents. Controlling our elected officials and the variety of other tax spenders' appetite starts at the local level with our approval or disapproval by casting our vote.

Voters will have three opportunities to prioritize increased taxation needs or wants; a justifiable sales tax increase and/or a huge ad valorem tax indebtedness sinking fund increase. In person absentee voting will be Friday and Monday at the Election Board, 122 S. Peters from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the official election date Tuesday at your precincts from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

It's your choice, cast your vote. Remember, you have the right to a secret ballot.

Sylvia Martin is a Norman resident.