Tax numbers come for public safety

Barry Porterfield, Pauls Valley Daily Democrat, Okla.
·2 min read

Feb. 24—More is now known about the specifics of a Garvin County half cent sales tax going before voters in a few weeks, such as the percentage of revenues that will go to help ambulance services in this area.

With last week's winter storm now moved on, county officials are turning their attention to what percentages should be where as the sales tax in place since 2007 will soon be up for renewal for another seven-year period.

Two Garvin County commissioners, Gary Ayres and Mike Gollihare, and one serving on an interim basis, Randy Chandler, gave their OK Monday to a resolution that divides up 80 percent of tax revenues if the measure is passed in an election now set for April 6.

Called Proposition 2 for the public safety areas, the exact numbers are:

—36 percent will fund public ambulance services in Garvin County.

—29 percent will be for the maintenance and operation of the county sheriff's department and county jail.

—15 percent will be for the county 911 system.

"We're operating in the ballpark of $2 million a year," Assistant District Attorney Carol Dillingham said about the total annual revenues generated by the half cent sales tax.

"About $1.6 million would go for Proposition 2."

County Clerk Lori Fulks said the percentages were determined by trying to match the needs with the "guesstimated" revenues expected to be available.

"I went through the revenue numbers over the last seven years," Fulks said.

Specifics on how the revenue will be distributed to each of the ambulance services now operating in Garvin County are expected to come later.

"We will need to have more discussion with the commissioners to figure that out. We will come up with a plan," Dillingham said.

The remaining 20 percent of the tax revenues will go for county roads and bridges, senior citizens organizations in the county and OSU Extension Services to help fund FFA and 4-H programs in the county.

The exact percentages for Proposition 1 are expected to be announced during next week's regular commissioners' meeting.