The Edmond Sun

Local News

Discussion

August 29, 2008

Chief: Property tax offers residents least impact

James Coburn

EDMOND — Police Department

plans at least 50-year

stay in new facility

Edmond Police Chief Bob Ricks said Friday that a 10-year ad valorem tax to fund the proposed Public Safety Center became more favorable to city leaders when they learned it would be less expensive for the average Edmond resident when compared to a sales tax.

“So in this case for the average taxpayer, the federal government is going to pay 30 percent of it,” Ricks said. So the ad valorem tax would have the least impact on Edmond residents, he said.

The cost of the Public Safety Center would average $3.66 a month for a $100,000 home, said Maj. Steve Thompson, deputy chief of police.

“As more structures come on line, as the value increases, then the amount of taxes owed will go down,” Ricks said. “The $3.66 (a month) per $100,000 everyone believes is a very conservative number, and most believe it will come in much less than that over the life of a 10-year bond.”

The Edmond City Council voted this week to approve an election proclamation for the proposed $31.5 million Public Safety Center use of Barnett Field at Kelly Avenue and Main Street. Voters will have the final say on Nov. 4 in deciding whether to approve a 10-year ad valorem tax to pay for the new facility.

At 83,000 square feet, the Public Safety Center would house the Edmond Police Department, the Central Communications Department and the Emergency Management Department with room to expand. The Edmond Police Department would occupy more than 70,000 square feet of the complex, Ricks said.

At 22,000 square feet, the current police station at 23 E. First St. was deemed inadequate due to its configuration and limited space after a 2005 needs assessment study.

“Our plan is to stay in that facility for the next 50 years at least,” Ricks said. “It’s called a 20-year project because it will meet all of our personnel needs for the next 20 years.”

Capability of expansion on the 6-acre site will be possible with the facility. Substations potentially east of Interstate 35 may be developed after expansion of the facility reaches its potential, Ricks said.

“Another issue I think that is a big concern is how this is being financed with an ad valorem tax,” Ricks said. “I’ve had a lot of people make comment about that. The City Council didn’t make that decision lightly.”

Ricks said city leaders first envisioned a sales tax for the Public Safety Center. Uncertainties about a sales tax came when bonding officials and the city treasurer began examining the nature of a bond that would be funded by sales tax, Ricks said.

“We were looking at staying at 8 percent and staying below where Oklahoma City was,” Ricks said. “And when we looked at those numbers, it turned out we would probably be looking at a 22-year bond with maybe some additional undergirding by an ad valorem tax anyway.”

A sales tax is the most regressive tax option available, Ricks said, because it hits the people with the least amount of money the hardest. An ad valorem tax is only applied to property owners for a set period of time and is tax deductible.

Ricks said the Barnett Field location is the perfect location. Kelly is to be made into a boulevard and Covell will have an underpass beneath the railroad tracks.

“Oftentimes, as you know downtown, we may have an emergency. But we may have traffic that’s backed up all the way for a mile,” Ricks said. “So sometimes, we’re having to negotiate having to get out of our downtown area to respond promptly.”

During an emergency, police will have easy access to the Covell Underpass without worrying about being in a traffic jam, he said.

GROUPS THAT would like to tour the police station at 22 E. First St. may call Maj. Steve Thompson at 359-4401 or e-mail him at steve.thompson@ci.edmond.ok.us.

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