Altus voters pass 2 propositions

Subhead

Jackson County

Image
  • Altus, Oklahoma
Body

The citizens of Altus voted overwhelmingly in favor of making a more active and entertaining city with the passages a pair of propositions recently. According to city officials, the Aug. 25 approval of Propositions 1 and 2 gives the city a clear path for projects that will improve the quality of life and affect tax rates.

“Most of these projects are ones that the citizens said they wanted and obviously, based on the vote, they agreed,” said Altus City Manager Gary Jones.

With a two-thirds majority, Proposition 1 approved a new sales tax that will fund the city’s new MAPS plan for the next 12 years.

The current 12-year MAPS plan was paid for with a 1.75% sales tax, which will expire March 31, 2021. After the passage of Proposition 1, it will be replaced by a 1.5% sales tax that is scheduled to go into effect on April 1, 2021.

According to city officials, revenue will be divided equally between the City of Altus and Altus Public Schools and will be used to pay for city and school improvements. But the centerpiece of the MAPS II plan will be the renovations on the City of Altus Reservoir, located at 509 S. Main Street.

City officials created the ReinVISIONing Altus Reservoir to enlist ideas from the residents that will increase quality of life as well as encourage economic development. Renovations are to include an amphitheater, splash area, skate park, walking trails and more. 

“We put together a plan and figured out how to make it happen,” said Jones. “As far as redoing our sports facilities and the idea of a new sports park, it’s something that a lot of communities have done, and...we felt would best fit the citizens of Altus because that’s all tied to Proposition 1.”

The 2008 MAPS project generated revenue to build City Hall, improve the senior citizens center and the fire station. Officials discussed including the reservoir as part of the projects but passed on it. 

Altus Public Schools plan to use their share of the MAPS funds on safe rooms, the swimming pools and other projects.

Proposition 2 also affects Altus residents’ pocketbooks as the proposition permanently increases city sales tax by 0.625% in order to pay for city functions. Those funds will also be used to offset electric rates for City of Altus electric customers.

“Proposition 2 was a way by which we could lower our electric rates and take a lot of that burden off the people [who] are helping pay for the City of Altus through their electric meters,” Jones said.

By increasing the sales tax rate, Jones said Altus visitors “will help share in that cost.”