The mission of the Owasso Taxpayer Alliance is to keep the citizens of the Owasso area informed on issues taking place within the city of Owasso - and beyond - in all areas of government that will affect their taxes and quality of life without party-partisan bias.  The Owasso Taxpayer Alliance is a political watchdog group for all of the people within the Owasso area.

 

 

 

 

Check out our recent email notifications by going to http://groups.google.com/group/owassotaxpayer

 

You can sign up for email notifications at http://groups.google.com/group/owassotaxpayer/boxsubscribe   Google will then send you an email within a few minutes where you will need to click on an attached link to complete your membership into our group.  In may cases, such as with Yahoo accounts, this email ends up in your spam folder.  Sorry for the trouble in signing up.  Google is a free service and we don't have any control over how they operate.

 

You can give by mailing your donation to:

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Ordinances defining use of $25 million dollar property taxes

 

 

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On August 9, 2011 the Owasso city council voted 3-2 to hold a public vote on a proposed $25 million dollar property tax increase.  This public vote will occur on Tuesday, October 11, 2011.  The pro-higher tax group will be sending out all kinds of "feel good" information about all the great facilities this money will build.  We would like to make you aware of the following items they will not share with you:

 

·        Our nation is in the worst financial shape since the great depression.  Now is not the time to demand more money from the people.  Many people in the Owasso community are unemployed, underemployed, retired living on a fixed income, living on disability and one parent families working multiple jobs.  Most people just can't afford to pay more taxes.

·        Councilor Charlie Brown has presented financial documentation to all councilors about the proposed excess sales tax and other revenues projected in the coming years.  $24 million dollars is possible in the next five years with up to $52 million dollars in the next nine years.  With these projected excess revenues why do we need higher property taxes?  Other sources of funding have not been considered by city hall or city council.

·        The $5 million dollars proposed for street improvements is for East 76th Street between Hwy. 169 and North 129th East Ave. and for Garnett Road between East 96th Street and East 116th Street.  In order to complete even part of these projects the city is relying on a federal grant to come through for the 76th Street project yet they have not received confirmation that the city will receive this money.  $5 million dollars will only complete about one mile of road widening and that does not count purchasing right of way, engineering design cost or utility relocation work.

·        City council members have not been presented with engineer estimates or conceptual drawings on any of these projects.  They don't even know where most of these proposed projects will be located.

·        The Owasso school district consist of 72 square miles.  The proposed tax increase will be imposed on property owners in a 6 square mile area (only 8% of the school district area) yet everyone else will be using these facilities.

Higher property taxes will affect everyone.  Homeowners will be forced to pay higher home taxes, renters will pay higher monthly rent fees as the higher taxes will be passed onto the renter and retail prices on food, gas and medicine will go up.

In order to vote against this tax increase you must be a registered voter by September 16, 2011 at 5:00 pm.  You can register to vote at any tag agency in Tulsa County.  The Owasso locations are:

 

Owasso Tag Agency                                        AJ Tag Agency

Corner Stone Shopping Center                       German Corner

12418 E. 86th Street                                        11330 N. Garnett

 

Register to vote and attend the public meeting to learn what you can do to help stop this tax increase.  If you don't get involved it will pass.

 

According to the city of Owasso, homes will be impacted by the following amounts:

HOME VALUES - Commercial property rates will be affected at the same rate of increase

(Yearly amounts are based on a 10-12 millage rate increase)

$100,000          $110-120

$150,000          $165-186

$200,000          $220-252

$250,000          $275-318

 

If you are considering how much to donate please consider how much you will be paying EVERY YEAR for the next twenty years if this tax passes.  We are asking for you to consider donating one year's proposed tax increase to help fight this.  Funds will be used for yard signs, citywide mailers and large truck/trailer signs. 

 

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VIDEO OF THE AUGUST 9TH CITY COUNCIL DEBATE CONCERNING THE $25 MILLION DOLLAR TAX INCREASE

If you were not able to attend the August 9th city council meeting you can watch the council debate here by clicking the link below.

 

 

 

http://youtu.be/yTE0xikGYr0

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City Council members phone numbers.  Call them to voice your opinion on the $25 Million dollar tax increase.

 

Doug Bonebrake, Mayor      918-274-7188

 

Bryan Stovall, Vice Mayor    918-272-0467

 

Stephen Cataudella            918-274-6823

 

Patrick Ross                       918-272-5075

 

Charlie Brown                    918-274-4286

 

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Posted: Friday, July 29, 2011 3:37 pm | Updated: 8:09 am, Mon Aug 1, 2011.           

The meeting during which comments on the bond-issue proposal will be heard is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 9, in the Old Central Building, 109 North Birch St.

If an October election is to be held, the council must take action in the form of a resolution and deliver the resolution to the Tulsa County Election Board no later than August 11, according to city government.

In accordance with city council meeting rules and procedures, residents wishing to speak on the agenda item should sign in prior to the meeting, according to the city. The sign-up sheet will be placed at the entrance of the meeting, and individual residents may sign in to speak for three minutes. A group of of five residents may choose a representative and the designated speaker will receive 10 minutes of speaking time.

 

$25 MILLION DOLLAR PROPERTY TAX VOTE POSSIBLE IN OCTOBER 2011

(Update:  Possible vote is October 11, 2011)

 

Higher taxes and larger debt was the cause of politicians getting voted out of office over the past year across our county, state and nation.  Apparently some of our locally elected officials did not get this message following the November 2010 national elections and the city of Owasso council elections in March 2011.

 

At tonight's Owasso city council meeting (July 5, 2011) Owasso Public School board member Frosty Turpen and Owasso homemaker Aimee Sacco presented their case for a $25 MILLION dollar property tax increase to fund numerous sports projects, water parks, a farmers market facility and other feel good projects.

 

In order to pay for these projects Mr. Turpen was up front about what it would take to fund these projects...higher property taxes.

 

Even though Mr. Turpen stated these item were not taken from the "Quality of Life Initiative " list they sure match up with the vision city hall has been painting getting people ready for this property tax increase idea.

 

Owasso city councilor Charlie Brown stated he has concerns about a property tax as the burden of paying for all of this would fall on the residential and commercial property owners inside the Owasso city limits yet folks who live in the fence line (outside the city limits) would bear no financial responsibility.

 

Higher taxes and larger debt is not the answer to Owasso's future.  This path not only takes more money out of your pocket by raising your property taxes but also raises your food and gas cost as higher taxes are always passed onto the consumer by the retailer who also has to pay these higher taxes.

 

Many people who live in Owasso are retired, live on a very limited income, on disability, are single parents, are unemployed or under employed.  They don't get more money each month just because of higher taxes.  These people would have to give up things like groceries or medicine in order for others to have ballfields, water parks and walking trails.

 

The future for Owasso lies in lower taxes and lower debt which translates into more people having more money to spend in our local economy and for people to pay for the basic needs in their lives.

 

Just since 2008 Owasso has seen a 61% increase in our debt, two years of new property tax increases, higher utility rates and larger city government.

 

Owasso city government is just like any other government agency.  They are addicted to money...your money and they don't know how to stop spending until the citizens put a stop to it.

 

Mr. Turpen stated they would like to see a vote of the people on this issue in October 2011 and it was appearent that city hall staff was in favor of this timeline.

 

If you are tired of higher taxes and larger debt now is the time to get involved.  There will be a meeting forth coming of citizens who are willing to help put a stop to this tax and debt madness in Owasso.

 

Please start making your Owasso family members and neighbors aware of this upcoming property tax vote.  We will continue to keep you informed as information becomes available.

 

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