Norman officials outline plan to ask voters to raise guest tax from 8% to 10% to fund parks, arts and tourism

City staff on Feb. 5 told the Board of Park Commissioners they intend to ask voters on April 7 to increase Norman’s guest (room) tax from 8% to 10% and to make recreational-vehicle parks subject to the levy. Staff said the currently projected 8% yield of about $3.94 million would rise to about $4.9 million under a 10% rate, a difference of roughly $1 million annually.

The Parks Department presented two allocation scenarios discussed with Visit Norman and the Norman Arts Council. One option would allocate most of the additional revenue to parks; another would return to an earlier mix where Visit Norman receives half of the new revenue and the Arts Council and Parks split the remainder (staff suggested a 50/30/20 split in one scenario). Under the parks‑focused proposal, parks revenue would increase from roughly $600,000 per year to about $1.4 million.

Staff emphasized that Norman residents are exempt from the tax if they stay longer than 30 days at a lodging property. They also said the city would only renegotiate contracts with Visit Norman and the Norman Arts Council if voters approve the measure; existing contracts, they said, would remain in place if the ballot question fails.

Commissioners and the public pressed staff for details about how money for public art would be handled. Staff noted a preexisting Norman Forward set‑aside of $150,000 for venue enhancements and explained that a 2.5% allocation of the projected $4.9 million would produce roughly $118,000—less than the $150,000 set‑aside now used for Norman Forward projects. Staff framed the proposed split as a tradeoff between a small percentage of the tax and existing fixed set‑asides.

Jason (staff member) said the city plans a voter‑education campaign during the permitted 60‑day pre‑election period: a mailer to every household outlining the seven ballot propositions (including the guest‑tax question), targeted mailers to registered voters, social‑media information, and presentations to civic organizations.

The commission’s discussion included the practical uses of the added parks money—capital projects such as playground replacements, trail work and park maintenance—and concerns about which neighborhood parks would benefit. Staff noted work to untie some impact‑fee allocations to allow more flexible use for neighborhood parks.

Next steps: the guest‑tax question will appear on the April 7 ballot per staff; contract and ordinance changes would follow only upon voter approval.