Chickasha Rotary Club

Chickasha Rotary Club
Feb. 18, 2016

Guest:  Ed's Brother

Announcements:  Run posters are available to display in your business 

 

Alan Guard, Rotarian and Program was introduced and talked about the upcoming tax vote.  

 

What has the ED Sales Tax been used for in Chickasha?

$2.2 million available for incentive packages
$470,000 for the water/sewer lines to support hotel at Grand and Ada Sipuel
$1.0 million for the road configuration at 4th and Grand to support new retail center
$500,000 to acquire and demolish dilapidated commercial properties
$530,000 for job retention at Grady memorial Hospital 
$5000,000 for job incentives
$70,000 for fire sprinklers at Washita Theater 

 

How will we fund economic development incentives?

    A second ballot time will ask voters to increase the hotel/motel tax from 5% to 8%
Many communities in Oklahoma are already at 8%
Did you know... That Chickasha residents do not pay hotel/motel tax when they stay in a a Chickasha hotel?
Hotel/Motel taxes are already collected for economic development purposes 
Funds the Economic Development council, tourism, and the downtown facade program

 

What if Citizens vote no?

If the citizens vote no the consequences will be a reduction in services $580,000 is equivalent to....
Closing the Library AND finding another $180,000 to cut elsewhere
Eliminating 9 police officers (we have 30)
Eliminating a Fire apparatus and 7 firefighters
Eliminating all of our Parks and GF Public Works staff
Obviously service reductions would be some combination of these.  

Alan handed out hand held devices to display instantly club members responses to a series of questions.  

 

Thank you Alan for a great program.