Oklahoma County Excise Board certifies revised tax levies, approves school and county estimates

The Oklahoma County Excise Board on Oct. 30, 2025, approved certification of revised tax levies for county municipalities and school districts and accepted several fiscal-year estimated-need resolutions and a small cash-fund appropriation.

The actions taken at a special meeting included: approval of minutes from the Oct. 23 meeting; Resolution 2025-4156, a cash-fund appropriation for the City of Harrah Street and Alley Fund in the amount of $12,964.57; Resolution 2025-4169, the countyestimated needs and financial statement for fiscal year 2025-26 (the transcript lists a general fund amendment of $156,768,098 with a mill levy stated in the transcript as "10 0.35" and a sinking fund of $7,951,409.71 with a "0.86" mill levy; the item is contingent upon approval by the Oklahoma County budget board); and Resolution 2025-4174, the estimates of needs and certified levies for Putnam City Public School District No. 1-1.

Putnam City Public Schools' figures read into the record were: general fund $208,485,041.45 (levy listed in the transcript as "36.46" mills), building fund $17,672,852.58 (5.21 mills), child nutrition $26,052,855.76 (no levy), and sinking fund $37,461,837.50 (27.51 mills). The board moved approval of those figures and the motion passed.

Board members moved and seconded approvals for all items on the agenda; each motion was recorded as passing on voice vote. The board then approved certification of all revised tax levies for Oklahoma County municipalities and school districts for fiscal year 2025-26 and directed that a certified list of mill levies be placed on file with the finance department, office of the county clerk.

County staff explained next steps and timelines: filings to the state auditor will be made and a 14-day protest period begins after certification; once the protest window closes and any protests are resolved, the county will submit final files to the printer, which operates under a five-business-day contract window. Staff and the chair cited a prior protest that delayed bill mailing in a Potawatomi-related VOTEC district as an example of how protests can extend timelines.

Chair Donald Thompson and board members thanked staff and noted that the board is likely to reconvene in November to process temporary cash transfers related to employee benefits, which generally must be in place before payroll. No further substantive discussion or dissent was recorded on the certified levies or submitted estimates.

Votes at a glance - Minutes (Oct. 23, 2025): Motion to approve minutes; motion seconded; voice vote recorded as aye. Outcome: approved. - Resolution 2025-4156 (City of Harrah Street & Alley Fund appropriation): Motion moved and seconded; voice vote recorded as aye. Amount: $12,964.57. Outcome: approved. - Resolution 2025-4169 (Oklahoma County estimated needs / financial statement, FY 2025-26): Motion moved and seconded; voice vote recorded as aye. Amounts read in transcript include a general fund amendment of $156,768,098 and a sinking fund of $7,951,409.71; the transcript lists mill levies as "10 0.35" (general) and "0.86" (sinking). Note: the item was described in the meeting as contingent upon approval by the Oklahoma County budget board. Outcome: approved. - Resolution 2025-4174 (Putnam City Public School District estimated needs and levies): Motion moved and seconded; voice vote recorded as aye. Amounts: general fund $208,485,041.45 (levy listed as "36.46" mills), building $17,672,852.58 (5.21 mills), child nutrition $26,052,855.76 (no levy), sinking $37,461,837.50 (27.51 mills). Outcome: approved. - Item 4 (certification of all revised tax levies for municipalities and school districts for FY 2025-26): Motion moved and seconded; voice vote recorded as aye. Outcome: certified; starts 14-day protest period.

What happens next: The certified levy lists will be filed with the office of the county clerk and sent to the Oklahoma State Auditor. A 14-day protest period begins; during that time the board may continue to work on rates. After protests are resolved, the county will forward files to the printer for bill mailing under the five-business-day contract window. Staff and the chair noted that prior protests have delayed billing in other jurisdictions and that the board expects to meet again in November to process temporary cash transfers for employee benefits.

Sources: Meeting transcript of the Oct. 30, 2025, special meeting of the Oklahoma County Excise Board; on-the-record motions and read fiscal figures.