Oklahoma County Excise Board adopts FY2025-26 estimates, certifies levies for municipalities, schools and library

The Oklahoma County Excise Board on Oct. 9 adopted fiscal-year 2025–26 estimates of needs and related financial statements and certified levies for more than 20 local governments, school districts, charter and virtual schools and the county library. Most items were approved by voice vote; one item was stricken from the agenda because the signed estimate had not been provided.

The approvals set appropriations and, where applicable, mill levies that county staff will use to prepare the tax roll. Items approved at the approximately 9:30 a.m. meeting included sinking funds, general funds, building funds, bond and sinking funds and child nutrition accounts for individual entities across the county. The board handled the items in routine fashion, with limited substantive discussion on a small number of entries.

Board members Brett Towne, Teresa Sellers and Eleanor Thompson were present. County Finance Department staff and the Office of the County Clerk presented each estimate of needs and answered occasional questions from the board. Several questions during the meeting sought clarification about levy limits, increases in total dollar requests compared with prior years, and how specific items such as an ambulance district would be established.

Key items and brief notes from the meeting: • Oklahoma County Metropolitan Library — General fund of $108,238,777 with a levy of 5.20 mills. A board member asked whether 5.20 is the maximum; staff responded the figure reflects the levy certified by the library based on final valuation data.

• Oklahoma City Public Schools (District I-89) — General fund $406,741,000 (levy 35.96 mills), building fund $33,401,000 (levy 5.14 mills), child nutrition $34,823,000 (no levy), sinking fund $76,013,593.75 (levy 24.39 mills). Board members noted increases compared with last year and discussed that the sinking fund covers debt service on bonds.

• Municipal sinking and general funds — The board approved estimates and levies for multiple municipalities and fire districts, including Nicholas Hills (sinking fund $6,881,163; levy 33.04 mills), Moore Acres (sinking fund $860,033; levy 7.76 mills), Dale City (sinking fund $497,316; levy 3.42 mills), and Midwest City (sinking fund $3,791,911; levy 8.28 mills), among others.

• Fire and ambulance questions — During the Deer Creek Fire Protection District item, a board member asked whether a proposed ambulance district would be part of the fire district or separate; staff said it would be a separate taxing entity and would likely require a vote of the people.

• Charter and virtual schools — The board received and approved estimates for multiple charter and virtual schools, including eSchool Virtual Charter Academy (general fund $8,275,727.46; no mill levy), Harding Independence Charter School (general fund $11,033,746.77; no mill levy; building fund $1,045,281.49; no mill levy), Dove Virtual Charter Academy (general fund $3,806,310.41; no mill levy) and Dove Charter School (listed amount in the materials; no mill levy). Board members noted notable year-to-year increases for some charter schools but did not delay approval.

• One item removed — Item 9 was stricken from the agenda after a motion to strike; the clerk noted the board had not received a signed estimate for City of Wilton Park, so the unsigned copy was not acceptable for filing.

Votes at a glance: the board approved each presented resolution by voice vote (members responded "Aye") except item 9, which was stricken. Where board discussion appeared in the record it was limited to clarifying levy levels, changes from prior-year totals and procedural questions about specific funding lines.

The board adjourned after completing the agenda and noting the next excise board meeting schedule and the county tax-roll deadline later that week.