§ 100. Declaration of official policy of City and pledge to the citizens.

A.

The City of Tulsa hereby pledges to the citizens of Tulsa:

1.

That all funds received by the City from the permanent sales tax levy of sixteen one-hundredths of one percent (.16%) for the period of time beginning January 1, 2017, and continuing until July 1, 2021, on which date it shall increase to a twenty-six one-hundredths of one percent (.26%) permanent sales tax (the "2017 Limited-Purpose Public Safety Permanent Sales Tax") will be spent only for those purposes set forth herein;

2.

That none of such funds shall ever be spent for any other purpose, unless this ordinance is amended as provided herein;

3.

That the City shall begin such expenditures at the earliest reasonable date;

B.

Specific purposes. The purposes for which expenditures of proceeds from the 2017 Limited-Purpose Public Safety Permanent Sales Tax may lawfully be made are as follows:

Tulsa Police Department: additional police officers, and equipment for said police officers; new or additional equipment for law enforcement purposes; and possible contract services.

Tulsa Fire Department: additional firefighters, and equipment for said firefighters; new or additional firefighting and rescue equipment; and construction of fire stations and/or renovation of existing fire stations.

Other functions, including the 911 Call Center, new or additional personnel, maintenance, equipment and supplies.

C.

The fifteen (15) year permanent funding is estimated to be as follows:

Police Department (including 911)	$202,000,000
Fire Department	70,000,000
TOTAL	$272,000,000

 

D.

It is the intent of this Limited-Purpose Tax to create a special fund, to be utilized in addition to General Fund expenditures currently and historically allocated for public safety funding. It is not the intent of this Tax to supplant such public safety funding. Such expenditures have been as follows:

Police & Fire Annual Adopted Budgets

General Fund
(in millions of dollars)

	FY12	FY13	FY14	FY15	FY16
Police	$ 78	$ 83	$ 88	$ 89	$ 95
% of Adopted Budget	31%	30%	33%	34%	34%
Fire	$ 61	$ 64	$ 67	$ 67	$ 69
% of Adopted Budget	24%	23%	25%	26%	25%
Total Adopted Budget	$ 254	$ 273	$ 268	$ 261	$ 275

 

E.

The Mayor and the City Council shall determine project priority on an annual basis through the budget process.

F.

If at the special election on April 5, 2016 the 2017 Limited-Purpose Public Safety Permanent Sales Tax shall fail to receive the approval of a majority of voters voting thereon, then to the extent of the said failure, this Ordinance or part hereof shall have no force or effect.

( Ord. No. 23423 , § 1, 3-3-2016)