Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes local government pay for a portion of their operating costs with property tax revenue instead of sales tax revenue.

Highlights:

• Authorizes a municipality to create a public safety protection district by adopting a resolution that has been given to voters at the next general election (Sec 2).

• Authorizes a district to have the powers granted by the Oklahoma Public Safety Protection District Act (Sec 2).

• Authorizes the administration of the municipal government that created the public safety protection district to oversee the management and employee hiring of the district (Sec 3). 

• Requires the cost of an election to create a public safety protection district be paid by the municipality in portions determined by the county election board (Sec 4).

• Requires the election to determine whether a public safety protection district will be created to follow the general election laws of the state (Sec 4).

• Requires a 60 percent majority of all votes cast for the creation of a public safety protection district for the municipality to adopt the resolution (Sec 5).

• Authorizes an annual property tax no greater than $5 for every $1,000 of property value to be assessed for the operation and maintenance of the public safety protection district (Sec 6).

• Authorizes funds raised from the tax to be used for expenses related to any of the following (Sec 6):

• Operation and maintenance of the public safety protection district;

• Purchasing and maintaining public safety equipment and vehicles;

• Payment of the salaries and benefits of municipal employees who provide law enforcement and/or fire protection public safety services in the district

• Payment of salaries and benefits of municipal employees who provide emergency medical services; or

• Payment for emergency medical services provided by the municipality.

• Specifies that the property tax used will not come from properties zoned for the following purposes (Sec 6):

• Agricultural or industrial land use;

• Livestock employed in support of the family;

• Personal property owned by agricultural business entities; and

• Public service corporations.

• Specifies that the taxes collected through this act will be a lien against the property if unpaid (Sec 7).

• Specifies that the lien will be equal to the liens of ad valorem taxes and other taxes, including special assessments, if unpaid (Sec 7).

• Specifies that every tax from this act that is unpaid will be a lien superior to all other liens against the property, accumulate interest, and be collected in the same way as ad valorem taxes (Sec 7).

• Specifies that the taxes in this act will be collected at the same time and in the same way as all other taxes collected by the state (Sec 8).

• Authorizes a public safety protection district to be dissolved by a majority vote of registered voters at an election for that purpose by the governing body of a municipality (Sec 9).

• Defines “public safety protection” as any or a combination of law enforcement, fire public safety protections, or emergency medical services provided by the municipality (Sec 10).

Full Bill Text