May 12, 2008
TCC and the River Tax
Not long ago, there was a county-wide vote to increase the sales tax to provide money for Arkansas River development. The measure failed.During that debate, the argument was made that suburban taxpayers were looking a tax increase that would do nothing for their towns; all the money would have been spent in Tulsa. Supporters countered that river development in Tulsa would be good for the whole county. Burb voters didn't buy it. They were instrumental in voting down the proposal.
The same argument used in the river tax battle applies to Tulsa Community College's property tax hike. Once again, a tax increase that would hit the entire county is proposed, but should the measure pass, all the money will be spent in Tulsa and Owasso.
Broken Arrow, for example, has a 4-year university campus to support these days. Broken Arrow has its own public school district to support. Broken Arrow has street problems just like Tulsa. And---as has clearly been displayed by our wet spring---Broken Arrow has some significant flooding problems that need to be addressed.
Why should Broken Arrow residents ignore their local needs and vote a tax increase on themselves so TCC can have the money?
Sand Springs was recently in the news, complaining that, due to the lack of shopping available in that town, it loses sales tax revenue to Tulsa. Now Sand Springs is being asked to hike its property taxes so that money can leave town as well.
TCC doesn't need more operating revenue. Its operating budget has more than doubled over what it was 15 years ago. TCC doesn't need more buildings. It already has more buildings than Donald freakin' Trump. And the way I look at it, if Owasso wants a TCC learning center, then let Owasso pay for it and leave everybody else's tax money out of the deal.
Posted 2 months, 2 days ago on May 12, 2008
Re: TCC and the River Tax
Yet another reason to vote NO. Why do we want to raise taxes to build an Air Traffic Controller program? There is virtually NO private employment for this, strictly FAA and Armed Forces. TCC is supposed to be a "community" college. Why would Tulsa county property owners want to pay for training people to work for the FAA in a different part of the country? How many ATCs can TUL and RVS absorb anyway? TCC is becoming just another business!
Posted 2 months, 2 days ago by Ron Denton • @ • • Reply
Posted 2 months, 2 days ago by Ron Denton • @ • • Reply
Re: TCC and the River Tax
Local and regional hospitals have perpetually told us of the current and growing shortage of nursing staff. TCC wants to accomodate them with your tax dollars. Wondered why the industries which benefit from these training programs aren't bearing the cost of these programs, which benefit them directly.
But, why should they when our leaders are so anxious to pass those costs onto the general public?
Amounts to a corporate handout.
Doesn't Homeland Security also fund improvements to those operations, like training for emergency responders?
Seems they're always double dipping on this stuff. Where the helicopter? They always throw in a helicopter. Still, we have only a single helicopter, and it's out of commission most times.
Posted 2 months, 1 day ago by XonOFF • @ • • Reply
But, why should they when our leaders are so anxious to pass those costs onto the general public?
Amounts to a corporate handout.
Doesn't Homeland Security also fund improvements to those operations, like training for emergency responders?
Seems they're always double dipping on this stuff. Where the helicopter? They always throw in a helicopter. Still, we have only a single helicopter, and it's out of commission most times.
Posted 2 months, 1 day ago by XonOFF • @ • • Reply
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