Mayor asks Tulsa voters to consider 0.7-cent sales-tax increase to fund public safety, homelessness and youth programs

Mayor: The action that I am asking the council to take, here in a matter of of a couple weeks is to put a question, 2 questions actually, to a vote of the people. 1 ... would be a 7 tenths of a penny sales tax increase, to invest in, critical services across the city.

The mayor told the Urban Economic Development committee on Nov. 5 that the administration's proposal would channel an estimated $80 million a year in additional operational revenue into the city budget and asked the council to vote later this month on whether to put the measure before voters for a Feb. 10 election. He said the money would be considered in the regular budget process and emphasized the need to fund homelessness services, raise public-safety pay, expand children and youth programs and support economic-development efforts.

Why it matters: City officials said the increase is intended to address…