County officials balk at Taylor’s tax for baseball park
Tulsa County officials don’t want taxpayers in Owasso to pay for a new baseball park in downtown Tulsa without their consent.
The Tulsa County Budget Board voted 5-3 last week to request that the Tulsa City Council exclude county-owned properties downtown when the city collects taxes to build a new park for the Tulsa Drillers.
The board consists of eight county elected officials - seven Republicans and one Democrat. Most oppose paying Tulsa about $102,000 a year to pay for the park but a majority would agree to pay the city about $53,000 a year for common maintenance issues in Downtown Tulsa.
Tulsa County Assessor Ken Yazel, who voted with Sheriff Stanley Glanz and Commissioner Karen Keith to not pay any of the tax, said the Tulsa Stadium Improvement District taxes are unconstitutional. Keith voted against the motion to pay the lesser tax because she wants the county to pay as much as possible for the baseball stadium.
County commissioners have received calls from constituents in the suburbs saying they don’t want to pay taxes to build a new baseball park for a private company (the Tulsa Drillers), especially since the project was never put to a public vote.
Mayor Kathy Taylor created the new tax with the approval of the Tulsa City Council.
It is part of her plan to pump millions of taxpayer dollars in the ongoing “revitalization” of Downtown Tulsa. The park will be in the Greenwood District.
Tulsa County has 11 properties in the district, including the county administration building and the county jail. Government buildings are generally exempt from property taxes but this is a special tax created by Taylor.
County officials have had no voice in the tax, which will begin in 2010. It would have to be paid from property taxes from all over the county.
The City Council will consider the request in April.
Yazel said state statutes require that there is a direct benefit to property owners who are forced to pay a tax. Property owners in Broken Arrow, Bixby, Jenks, Glenpool, Owasso and Collinsville would see no direct benefit from a new baseball park in Downtown Tulsa.
That makes the tax unconstitutional, Yazel said.
How does the Tulsa Jail benefit from a new baseball stadium? The Tulsa Drillers already play at a stadium at the corner of Yale Avenue and 15th Street.
Taylor said the new stadium would increase property values downtown.
One small business owner in the district downtown said his property values are lower because another who buys his property would have the added taxes. He has no plans to sell and should his property rise in value, he would have a higher property tax bill with no added benefit.
The new tax district is an extension of the Downtown Improvements District, which is set to expire June 30.
Taylor expects to raise $25 million in new taxes to offset construction of the new $60 million ballpark. The rest of the funds are supposed to come from private donations and lease payments from the Drillers.
Property owners within the Inner Dispersal Loop will have their assessments increase to 6.5 cents per square foot. It is now generally 3.5 cents. Under the new tax, 4.3 cents will go for the debt to build the stadium and 2.2 will go to downtown beautification, including street sweeping and pocket parks maintenance.
In the old district, the county paid $14,811 in 2008. The Tulsa Jail’s assessment would jump from $1,714 a year to $101,102.
The county and city are arguing over the cost for city prisoners in the jail as the jail contract has expired. That dispute is expected to wind up in court.
County commissioners say the two issues are not related.
Taylor has criticized county leaders for not agreeing with her tax increases and higher government spending.
Wilkening resigns
In other county news, Chief Deputy to the Board of County Commissioners Paul Wilkening has resigned, effective April 1.
He has been employed by the county since January 2002 and is resigning to pursue a career in a private legal practice.
Wilkening was an advocate for projects associated with Vision 2025 and both Four-to Fix the County tax increases.
He also chairs the Metropolitan Environment Trust and was active in INCOG’s legislative and lobby affairs.