ELGIN – Elgin City Council is not releasing a list of projects that would be financed with an extension of the city’s sales tax for road and sidewalk improvements, because the council has not yet voted on the cost and engineering for those projects.
The council hosted a special meeting March 27 to discuss the projects included in the city’s 2023 road plan, which would be financed by the proceeds from the city’s 0.75% sales tax for road and sidewalk projects. The meeting came eight days before residents voted on a proposal to renew that tax, as well as a 0.25% sales tax for parks and recreational projects, for another 10 years.
The city has compiled a list of road projects that would be financed with the proceeds from the sales tax extension, said Mayor JJ Francais. He added that the list is not a legally binding document, because the current council cannot tie the hands of future councils, but it does indicate how the city would spend those dollars.
“The purpose of this is to tell the voters, ‘This is what we plan to do with the money if you give it to us,’” he said. “And I would certainly hope we stick as close to the plan as possible.”
Francais said Oklahoma law requires cities that put tax proposals on the ballot to stick to the ballot language, but most voters want more detailed information about how that money will be spent.
Some council members weren’t sure whether the city should release a list of specific projects ahead of the election.
“Obviously, we want to inform the voter populace of the city’s intent of things to get after and what it might cost,” said Councilman Sean Bateman. “But we’ve got to be careful that we don’t promise things that the city can’t deliver, as the council.”
Councilwoman Nettie Evans said publicizing a list of projects might backfire if the city discovers it can’t afford to do them all.
“Putting out specific projects at this point could – because what if you completely run out of money and you don’t have enough to do them?” she said.
Some Elgin residents also weighed in on the question of whether the city should publish a list of road projects.
Resident Phil Britcher said some residents might reject the sales tax extensions if their street is not on the city’s list.
“I’m going to vote ‘yes’ because I think it’s something we need,” he said. “But if you’re telling me that you’re going to build a new road and my road’s got potholes and it’s not on your list, I’m voting ‘no.’”
Another Elgin resident, Teri Sink, said she intended to vote against the tax extensions because the city had not provided details about how it will spend the money.
“I oppose this because there isn’t enough communication, from my point of view,” she said.
Sales tax renewal
Unless voters decide to extend them for another decade, Elgin’s 0.25% sales tax for roads and 0.75% sales tax for parks and recreational projects will sunset June 30 of this year. If voters approve the extensions, the sales taxes would remain in place until June 2033 but would not increase.
The city estimates that renewing the 0.25% sales tax would generate about $3.3 million for road projects, while the 0.75% sales tax would raise about $1 million for parks and recreation.
When voters go to the polls today, they will decide whether to approve both sales tax extensions. They will also choose a new councilman to represent Ward 4 Councilman Sean Bateman, who is stepping down.
Elgin resident Travis Bennett is seeking the Ward 4 position. Another Elgin resident, Chris Martini, was also running for the office but later withdrew from the race.
Martini’s name will still appear on the ballot because he dropped out of the race after the deadline to have his name removed.