June 18 city sales tax election explained
Henryetta voters will be going to the polls June 18 for a special city sales tax renewal election.
Mayor Michael Dickey and city manager David Bullard spent a few minutes Friday morning explaining the need for the tax and reassuring voters this is not anything new.
“This tax has been in existence for over 20 years,”Bullard said. “It is simply a renewal and will not adversely affect anyone. The tax was last approved by voters in 2014. It is required to go to voters every ten years.
“We need this sales tax in order to keep our current operations going and be able to serve our citizens,” Dickey added.
The one-cent tax is broken down with half of it going into the general fund, one-third going to the city’s restricted fund then one-sixth is used by the Henryetta Economic Development Authority (HEDA).
“This brings in about $75,000 monthly,” Dickey said. “Out of the general fund, we pay salaries and buy supplies. The restricted fund portion of our budget goes to other items such as making loan repayments and street paving.”
The city is planning some $350,000 toward street overlay work this coming budget year. Prior plans to pave some streets were hampered in recent years due to water issues that included new lines and a number of repairs.
The HEDA funding has helped the city with some $200,000 to help with a sewer project west of town that is expected to provide commercial growth west of town. “It will draw people off the highway and they will spend money that will help the sales tax total.”
During the sales tax discussion, Bullard said this fall residents will be seeing an increase in cleanup of dilapidated houses. “We have been dealing with a lot of wet weather this spring that has held up that work he said.
He went on other say the city is in the final stages of a loan forgiveness program that would help with several sewer and water line projects.
Henryetta is like many other communities that have aging infrastructure that needs replacing. With the sales tax revenue as well as planned grants work on replacing some of those lines can be accomplished.
The election will be open to residents within the city limits with ballot boxes located at city hall, Gospel Tabernacle, housing authority, First Methodist Church, St. Michael’s Church Wilson public school library and Schulter community center.