OKC sales tax revenue slumps
Amy Simpson was sworn i n Friday as the city of Oklahoma City's new city clerk. Simpson is the 17th city clerk since 1890 and the second woman, succeeding Frances Kersey. Kersey is retiring after more than 18 years in the post and 39 years with the city, all in the clerk's office. Simpson, 53, has been the city's purchasing agent for the past 10 years. Her swearing-in was moved up from Monday in response to the winter storm.
Sales tax retreats
Oklahoma City's sales tax revenue for the most recent month was off 4.6% compared to this time last year and below the city budget office's projection of a 2% decline. Overall, sales tax collections are down 4.1% through the first eight months of the fiscal year, a better result so far than had been expected.
To put the latest report in perspective, Budget Director Doug Dowler wrote in an email, the $22 million allocated to the general fund, the primary account for day- to- day expenses, "is not only lower than last year, but it is also lower than the February before (2019)." Sales tax is the city's single-largest revenue source.
Noteworthy: Use tax revenue of $8.1 million set a monthly record, up 9.6% from the same month in 2020. "I think this points to the growing importance of internet sales … as holiday shopping likely boosted the total," Dowler said. The most recent results reflect shopping in the last week before Christmas, through mid-January.
They said it
"It's a little bit of art and it's a little bit of science."
— Jason Cotton, director of program management for ADG, in remarks to the MAPS 4 Citizens Advisory board about development of the firm's implementation plan for the 16 MAPS 4 projects. The implementation plan will set out timelines for each project, set priorities and anticipate possible conflicts among projects. Timelines include expected time needed for such tasks as architecture, design and engineering, property acquisition, and construction. Voters approved MAPS 4 in 2019; the 1-cent sales tax is expected to raise at least $978 million over eight years. In the first nine months, $66.1 million was collected.
Facts and figures
•Former Ward 5 Councilman Walt Morris died Jan. 28. He was 81. Morris moved his family to Oklahoma City in 1970 and established himself as a south-sider, eventually owning his own medical products manufacturing business, according to an obituary. Morris was appointed to a council vacancy in 1992.
• Runoff elections will be held April 6 to fill open city council seats in Ward 1 and Ward 3. In Ward 1, the top two vote-getters were Bradley Carter and Shay Varnell. In Ward 3, voters will choose between Jessica Martinez-Brooks and Barbara Young. Ward 1 Councilman James Greiner and Ward 3 Councilman Larry McAtee are retiring.
Calendar
The city council meets at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday in its first virtual meeting since November. Find the agenda and instructions for dialing in under the “Government” tab at okc.gov.
Present/absent
The mayor and five city council members attended last week's budget workshop. Councilmen James Greiner ( Ward 1), Larry McAtee (Ward 3) and David Greenwell (Ward 5) were absent.