New Sales Tax?

[Larry OKC]

In Sunday's Oklahoman there was this story. Funds set to curb teen crime in Oklahoma City
NewsOK

Buried at the end it mentioned how they plan on funding it after the Fed money runs out in 3 years

When the federal stimulus money for the seven positions runs out in three years, Oklahoma City officials say they plan to continue to fund them with a three-eighths-cent sales tax dedicated to pay for police expenses.

[Spartan]

Well that's subtle.

[betts]

Three eighth cents sales tax had better pay for more than 7 policemen. And, this program sounds nice, but what precisely do we really think it will do? This is the kind of program we need to be looking at under a microscope for efficacy, along with D.A.R.E (hope I'm not stepping on any toes here) and some of the other theoretically preventative programs. Again, a lot of the education programs are probably a luxury we cannot currently afford, especially since I believe there are questions about how useful they really are. If we need more policemen out on the streets, that's one thing but I don't want to pay 3/8 of a cent to pay for more administrators and bureaucracy. That's the appeal of MAPS: you can see what your money pays for. When we pass taxes for public safety, we have no idea if the money is actually going for things we really need, or if we're going to end up with the fanciest SWAT team in the country, with all the latest equipment, just in case we ever need it.

[mugofbeer]

Isn't this the tax that's already been in place for like 20 years?

[Spartan]

That's what I first thought but I believe the existing tax is not 3/8ths percent (.375) -- but 3/4ths percent (.75).

[mugofbeer]

I think 3/8 = the police half of the 3/4 cent public safety tax. A 3/8 cent tax would produce many millions more than the <$2 million for this program. I doubt seriously the city would press for a whole new tax just for < $2 million.

[Larry OKC]

Understand what Mug is saying and you may be right (using the existing tax for this) but the article makes it sound like this will be a new tax. Also, if they use an existing tax, something somewhere is losing funding, right?

And to what Betts was saying, after 3 years they should be able to have an idea if it a successful program or not and then make the call to continue it (however it is funded) or not.

[rcjunkie]

isn't this the tax that's already been in place for like 20 years?

no

[andy157]

no

No? What makes you think that it's not the existing tax they're talking about?

[LakeEffect]

From the article:

Last year, police worked with a test group where officers went to homes to find out why the students were not in school and provided parents with information on places and programs that could help. In that group, school officials noticed an 80 percent decrease in truancy.

So, I'd say that's a pretty efficient program. KOCO stated that on any given day, there are some 7,000 students absent from OKC schools. They didn't say how many were actually sick vs. how many were skipping, but it's a starting point for discussion. Keeping kids in school (indirectly) means they aren't out being bad...

[kevinpate]

Neither a journalism major, nor english major am I. that outta the way, I read the sentence as referring to the long existing dedicated sales tax, with the 3/8 amount being the cop half of the current PS tax.

[betts]

From the article:


So, I'd say that's a pretty efficient program. KOCO stated that on any given day, there are some 7,000 students absent from OKC schools. They didn't say how many were actually sick vs. how many were skipping, but it's a starting point for discussion. Keeping kids in school (indirectly) means they aren't out being bad...

I'm not sure how many students 7 officers are going to be able to keep in school. And, the root of the problem isn't attendance. It's the attitude toward school promulgated by family and peers, coupled with the fact that many of our curriculums are out of touch with what kids need. You can keep a student in a class, but you cannot make him or her learn. We have to make learning fun. We have to show kids there's a benefit to staying in school. We have to make it a place they want to be.

[rcjunkie]

No? What makes you think that it's not the existing tax they're talking about?

Read the article

[andy157]

Read the article

I did, but I guess I didn't try to read into it something that was not there.

[rcjunkie]

I did, but I guess I didn't try to read into it something that was not there.

Or maybe didn't comprehend what was there ?

[mugofbeer]

Or maybe didn't comprehend what was there ?

Where in the article does it state this is a new tax? My take is that it is a poorly worded statement referring to the existing tax. Why would the city push a special tax election to keep 7 officers? The cost would outweigh the benefits.

[Wambo36]

Where in the article does it state this is a new tax? My take is that it is a poorly worded statement referring to the existing tax. Why would the city push a special tax election to keep 7 officers? The cost would outweigh the benefits.

Well mug, I've read it and can't find it either. Although, apparently, our comprehension skills aren't up to par.

[Spartan]

From the article:


So, I'd say that's a pretty efficient program. KOCO stated that on any given day, there are some 7,000 students absent from OKC schools. They didn't say how many were actually sick vs. how many were skipping, but it's a starting point for discussion. Keeping kids in school (indirectly) means they aren't out being bad...

What if they're just taking a mental health day? I think that should certainly be permitted, especially in OKC Public Schools..