Moore council votes to place permanent 1% sales tax on April ballot to fund capital projects, public safety

The Moore City Council voted unanimously Feb. 2 to adopt an ordinance and approve a resolution calling an April 7 election on a permanent 1% sales tax that city staff says would pay for capital improvements and public safety needs.

City staff summarized the proposal as a permanent 1¢ sales tax with revenue split 90% for capital projects and 10% for public safety equipment and operations. Brooks, a city staff member leading the presentation, told the council the measure is intended as an alternative to continued GO bonds and would give the city flexibility to move funding among projects as needs arise. "The proposal tonight is a permanent 1¢ tax to be split 90% for capital improvements, 10% for public safety," Brooks said.

Staff told the council the sales-tax approach would allow the city to respond more quickly to unplanned projects such as street repairs and drainage work and that roughly 30% of the revenue would be paid by people who do not live in Moore. Brooks said the city’s outreach included listening sessions and an online survey. Attorney Terry Hawkins told the council the ballot language cannot include a property‑tax reduction guarantee because of state electioneering rules.

Council members moved and seconded the motion to place the ordinance on the ballot; the motion passed on a unanimous roll call vote. The council did not set a detailed project list in the ordinance; Brooks said projects would still come back to council for final approval and that public input and town halls would continue.

Next steps: the ordinance and the resolution calling the election passed Feb. 2; the sales tax question will appear on the April 7, 2026 ballot. If voters approve the measure, staff said they would bring project‑level funding and implementation proposals back to council for review.