DUNCAN – Next month, Duncan voters will decide whether to renew the city’s sales tax for economic development projects.
The sales tax proposition will appear on the June 18 ballot.
The sales tax, which was first approved in 1994 and has been renewed five times since then, is the main source of funds for the Duncan Area Economic Development Foundation, the foundation said in a 2023 report.
Proceeds from the sales tax were dedicated solely to DAEDF from 1994 until 2014, according to the report. Starting in 2014, the proceeds were divided evenly between DAEDF and the city.
The sales tax generated about $1.03 million in 2022, the last year for which figures were available. PSO franchise agreement The sales tax proposition isn’t the only measure on the June 18 ballot.
Duncan voters will also decide whether to extend Public Service Co. of Oklahoma’s franchise agreement with the city for another 25 years.
In March, the Duncan City Council voted to grant PSO a 25-year franchise and call for an election on the issue. The agreement, which requires voter approval, allows PSO to continue providing electricity to Duncan residents.
Duncan has three electricity providers: PSO, the City of Duncan and Cotton Electric Cooperative. PSO’s agreement with the city is nonexclusive, which means other power companies may seek a similar agreement with the city.
Duncan’s current franchise agreement with PSO is set to expire June 1, Tim Hushbeck, external affairs manager for the company, told the council in March. He said the new agreement includes many of the same terms as the current agreement, including language requiring PSO to pay the city a 2% franchise fee.
Hushbeck said all Duncan residents may vote on the agreement, even if they are not served by PSO.