Residents In Owasso To Decide On Sales Tax Extension In August Vote

City leaders in Owasso are working to educate the public about a sales tax extension to pay for road work headed to the August ballot.

City Manager Warren Lehr says to keep up with the high demand of growth, the sales tax should be renewed. The current 55/100ths sales tax is helping fund key infrastructure improvements, and will end on December 31st. Each year, it brings in about $6 million for Owasso. If approved by voters, it would be a continual tax and no longer need to be renewed.

Some areas funded by the sales tax are currently enhancements on 116th Street North from Highway 169 to Mingo and 96th Street North from 119th East Avenue to 129th East Avenue.

The sales tax will also help the city start new transportation projects, including adding trails.

“The City of Owasso has been one of the fastest, if not the fastest growing communities in Oklahoma over the last 20 years. As we continue to grow, it puts a strain on all infrastructure but certainly our streets and roads get busier and busier,” City Manager Owasso, Warren Lehr, said.

Visitors to the city are key in helping fund the sales tax. A study recently done in February shows 69 percent of the money made at the Smith Farm Marketplace was from visitors.

Lehr is hopeful the city can get this sales tax approved to keep progress underway and says it would bring some challenges if it’s not.

“It would significantly slow down our infrastructure improvements. We might eventually have to look at a property tax millage. Owasso is one of the few growing communities that don’t have a property tax millage for city projects. It’s been 50 years since the citizens have passed a property tax milage,” City Manager Owasso, Warren Lehr, said.

If the sales tax is not renewed, it would mean half of the funding used to fix roadways and trails in the city would no longer be available.

For additional resources on the 55/100th sales tax renewal, or to access a storyboard with educational information on the proposal, visit the City of Owasso’s website by Clicking Here.

Some public meetings will also be held ahead of the August 8th election.