Sales tax collections in Tulsa County are down 10% for the first five months of fiscal 2010 from the same period in 2009.
Officials said month-to-month declines range from 4.1% in August to almost 16% in November. The county primarily funds its routine operations from property tax revenue, but three voter-approved initiatives rely on sales tax collections.
The management company that oversees the voter-approved Vision 2025 and 4 to Fix the County sales-tax backed capital programs said there are sufficient revenues for debt service on bonds sold for the efforts, as well as for several pay-as-you-go projects.
The county sales tax of 1.107% include the 0.6% Vision 2025 tax, the 0.167% 4 to Fix the County II effort, and a 0.25% jail tax. Tax revenue from the two programs are dedicated to several capital-improvement efforts, including road repairs and the county-owned convention center.
The Vision 2025 sales tax became effective in 2004 and will expire in 2017. Voters approved the 4 to Fix tax in 2005 and it will expire in 2011. The jail tax, which has no termination date, was approved by voters in 1995.
