A half-cent sales tax increase proposition in Hartshorne passed on Tuesday, while voters in Savanna and Stuart school districts also went to the polls on issues.
Hartshorne voters approved a half-cent sales tax increase to fund water system improvements and associated costs.
Roughly 80% percent of Hartshorne voters approved the proposition — with the three lone early votes for yes, and 98 yes votes and 24 no votes on election day.
Officials said the city is working to improve the water line system, but neither the proposition nor the resolution city councilors approved outline specific projects for the funds.
Hartshorne City Clerk Elizabeth Wilson previously told the News-Capital the city’s sales tax sat at 9.25% — with a 3.25% city sales tax rate, 1.5% in Pittsburg County sales taxe, and Oklahoma’s 4.5% sales tax.
After Hartshorne voters approved the sales tax increase, it boosted the city’s sales tax rate to 3.75% — bringing the total sales tax to 9.75% with the county and state taxes.
No expiration date on the sales tax proposal means the increase is permanent.
The proposition states:
“Shall the city of Hartshorne, Oklahoma, be authorized to levy and collect an additional one half of one percent (0.50%) excise tax (sales tax), in addition to any and all other excise taxes now in force, with the proceeds thereof being used to fund water system improvements and associated costs, and with said revenues also being available to pay debt service on obligations issued by the City and any public trust giving the City as a beneficiary thereof to finance or refinance said water systems improvements and associated costs?”
STUART SCHOOL BOND
A $1.8-million bond proposition for a bevy of improvements at Stuart Public Schools also passed.
Voters approved the school bond proposition with 47 yes votes and 20 no votes.
The district is Hughes County Independent School District 54 with four Pittsburg County precincts within the Stuart school district boundaries — including Precinct 21 at the Arpelar Nazarene Church; Precinct 23, Ashland Baptist Church; Precinct 48, Scipio Community Center and Precinct 49, Tannehill Fire Department.
Information on the school’s website states the bond funds would cover: parking lot improvements, STEM lab equipment, upgraded playground equipment, installing secure entrances at school buildings, upgrading agriculture and animal science to include a greenhouse, animal barn and new equipment, and acquiring a new walk-in freezer.
The bond funds would also go toward helping the school: acquire technology equipment throughout the district, build a new weight room / bus parking structure, install new lights at the athletic fields, install new scoreboards at the gym and athletic fields and acquire AED defibrillators.
SAVANNA SCHOOL BOARD
Voters in the Savanna Public Schools District picked Lee Skinner for the school’s Office No. 2.
Skinner won election with 34 votes to 15 votes for Jody Lynn Lindley.
Contact Adrian O’Hanlon III at [email protected].