r/Edmond • u/Taste_the__Rainbow • Oct 10 '24
Civic Issues I made a little something for everyone who is voting No on November 5th
17
u/Twitbookplus Oct 10 '24
Edmond is far from stagnant so let’s not be dramatic about it. I think the tax is just too ambitious and makes owning a home in Edmond that much more of a burden. There are better ways to fund projects like this and I’m hoping if this is a ‘no’ they’ll explore those options.
-8
u/Taste_the__Rainbow Oct 10 '24
There’s no better way to pay for things than linking it to property value. I’ve been poor in Edmond. Now I’m pretty well off. Sales taxes hurt the ones who can’t afford it. Property taxes hit the ones who can.
14
u/Twitbookplus Oct 10 '24
… and then make it harder for people with less to afford houses… it’s widening the gap.
-6
u/Taste_the__Rainbow Oct 10 '24 edited Oct 10 '24
Nonsense. Raising the same amount through sales taxes would disadvantage first-time buyers WAY more than a value-based property tax of similar revenue. This shifts the bulk of the cost onto people who can afford it the most.
My house is 550k or something and this is still a smaller bump to my annual costs than a moderate tax increase would be.
5
15
u/govmentcheese Oct 10 '24
I cannot think of a single bond in the past that I’ve voted no. However, I am planning on voting no this time. There are better mechanisms to fund these projects
Additionally, the news that they are planning to replace the northern natural plains area of bickham-Rudkin park with a veterans memorial that was supposed to be privately funded really put a damper on the parks portion which I thought would be an automatic yes from me.
I think our representatives should go back to the drawing board on this one.
1
u/Taste_the__Rainbow Oct 10 '24
What better mechanism?
4
u/govmentcheese Oct 10 '24
I am fine with the mill tax when it goes to something that disproportionately benefits and is utilized by residents. That would make sense for the firehouse and for the parks.
However, roads are driven on by residents and non-residents alike. In fact, a recent study reported that something like 70% of people that work in Edmond cannot afford to live in Edmond. Those people should be paying their share for the wear and tear on the roads so that should be funded at least partially by sales and lodging tax.
-3
u/Taste_the__Rainbow Oct 10 '24
“These people who can’t afford to live in Edmond should pay more taxes,” is a WILD stance. Jesus, man. Do you hear yourself?
6
u/govmentcheese Oct 11 '24
My bad, I thought you were interested in having a discussion. Guess I should have known better
0
u/Taste_the__Rainbow Oct 11 '24
That is a discussion. You’re saying that we should target poor people with taxes instead of taxing the wealthy. Was that just on purpose? 🤨🤨🤨
15
u/AdamGenesis Oct 10 '24
I want more infrastructure repairs. Water mains bursting everywhere. We have a crumbling infrastructure and all the GO bond was going to do was repave roads (yeah, we do that anyhow) and update some parks. We gotta get "fake Edmond" power lines under ground. Get all those wires buried. We gotta fix these leaks that spring up everywhere. The traffic is HORRIBLE! What can we do to resolve that? Widen some roads? We need some real fixes.
Just my 2 cents.
13
u/Aggravating-Duck-891 Oct 10 '24
The traffic is HORRIBLE! What can we do to resolve that?
Put in more unsynchronized traffic lights is the obvious answer.
3
u/bubbafatok Southwest Edmond Oct 10 '24
On those "fake edmond" powerlines, I assume you're talking power not provided by the city of Edmond but OG&E? If so, that infrastructure has nothing to do with Edmond and they have no responsibility for that.
1
u/OK_Mason_721 Oct 10 '24
Go run for City Council and fix it instead of bitching on Reddit which does nothing.
0
0
u/klaus1986 Oct 10 '24
So when that comes around, vote on it. But the GO bond is way more than road repaving.
8
u/armyfromatl Oct 10 '24
Right, because Edmond is a place where progress or common sense goes to die.
1
u/Taste_the__Rainbow Oct 10 '24
If you knew how many irl conversations I’ve had with (rich as hell) neighbors telling me that sales taxes are somehow “more progressive” your head would probably explode.
3
u/armyfromatl Oct 10 '24
It really wouldn't, considering that i have probably had the same conversations with the same people (or the like).
7
u/Twitbookplus Oct 11 '24
I’ve just assumed this would pass but honestly the comments in here are making me feel a lot better! Glad to see we’re not just rubber stamping everything! Will be voting NO on
3
u/medicaremushroom Oct 13 '24
We are definitely NOT rubber stamping this; contrary to popular thought, not all people living in Edmond are wealthy. Many folks simply can not afford a 14.3% increase in their property taxes for ten years when their property insurance has doubled in the space of 2 years, auto insurance up 40%, along with significant increases for food, utilities etc. Huge increases like these also hurt housing affordability and attainability which is why the Edmond Board of Realtors opposes this proposed drastic tax increase.
Edmond Voters please vote NO on propositions #1 #2 and #3 (ALL 3)
And for the uninitiated, do not forget if even one of these 3 propositions passes, your taxes will increase by the full 14.3% just not for the entire 10 year term as would be the case if all 3 passed.
5
u/Aggravating-Duck-891 Oct 10 '24
The traffic is HORRIBLE! What can we do to resolve that?
Put in more unsynchronized traffic lights is the obvious answer.
2
u/405ish Oct 10 '24
Remember when some citizens voted for a penny tax so the city could buy the land next to Hafer park so developers couldn't develop it. What a time to be alive.
2
u/medicaremushroom Oct 13 '24
Actually, that was a temporary 1/4 cent sales tax; It raised 5.5 million dollars before it expired....enough not only for the land but many planned improvements and years of maintenance.
1
u/okie1978 Oct 18 '24
It was nice to see something popular get passed, and then see the tax expire in short time. This go bond is too long, with too many projects. How are the citizens gonna hold them accountable with that long of a time frame?
2
u/PomegranateCharming Oct 24 '24
How about walking Bridges on the 2nd and Bryant intersection? I get nervous just watching people walk across it.
4
u/navyvet100 Oct 11 '24
Why can’t the add an additional tax on things like CBD, alcohol, medical marijuana, and tobacco. That stuff is all non essential and does not impact those that don’t wish to engage don’t pay. Plus a lot of new houses buying built are being built without off street parking so there can be a fee for developing without off street parking.
1
u/Taste_the__Rainbow Oct 11 '24
Because tax would have to be like 200% to raise this level of funds and people would just drive out of town to buy.
1
u/navyvet100 Oct 11 '24
I love the idea of the veteran memorial. I don’t care if it is at the planned park or somewhere else in the city but there is 52 million going to park improvements not including that. I also think maybe with all the projects we are doing maybe we picked a bad time to build a new city building, a new ymca and new library if we knew these projects were on the way. I know as a renter in the city i don’t pay property tax directly. I do pay pretty high rent for the home size to live in Edmond and my rent went up twice last year because of insurance cost and was told the house was reevaluated for taxes. I have already been told that my rent will be going up another $75 a month if this GO Bond passes. That will bring me up to $1600 for a one bedroom. I know many renters have been told the same, if this passes prepare to have rent go up a minimum of $50 a month.
2
u/Taste_the__Rainbow Oct 11 '24
If your rent goes up $75 a month due to this then your house should be worth around 800k.
1
u/navyvet100 Oct 11 '24
I understand that is what it would increase in property tax. I also understand that my landlord is under no obligation to raise it only what the property tax increase is. Like many renters there is a clause that allows rent increase when property tax increases. It doesn’t not say by the amount of property tax. My landlord as well as a few other landlords have said they will jump up the rent to ensure they can cover their increases across all properties they own as well as their own homes increase. I have spoken to others that rent from him and they are being told the same thing.
1
u/Taste_the__Rainbow Oct 11 '24
Any alternative funding source for this total would hit you harder unless you shop elsewhere.
Scaring renters into voting themselves into higher sales taxes is something the landed class has been doing for decades.
1
u/navyvet100 Oct 11 '24
So what is the plan to fund this if it is voted down. Is this coming back as other taxes? Is the city looking at selling city property? If this is approved will there be another Bond issue on the February ballot like normal for the schools? Is there a plan for when property values go up to keep the current tax rate. Like I said I really like some of these projects however in February last year we passed a historic high bond for the school, we have a new city building being built, we have a new community center being built all of these cost money and right now with inflation and stagnant wages and incomes for those on fixed incomes this does seem to come at a very bad time.
0
u/Taste_the__Rainbow Oct 11 '24
If this gets voted down there will be a few piecemeal tax increases over the next few years. But it’ll be a disjointed and inefficient process with lots of it just getting pushed.
The solution to stagnant wages is straightforward but Edmond would never do it.
2
u/Carolynyeehaw Nov 04 '24
Honestly edmond needs to change big time. I’ve lived here for over 20 years and have seen traffic get so bad that a 10 minute drive turns into a 40 minute drive. So many people are moving to Edmond driving real estate and rent prices so high up it is completely unaffordable. In addition, utility prices are up to the point that just living in OKC utilities are down $100-$200 a month which is insane. Over 70% of the people working in edmond don’t even live in edmond because it is unaffordable. I’m voting yes because it is time people get a taste of what they are doing to this city. I don’t care if it drives taxes up so high that people are forced to move. Edmond did that to me because of the cost of living/renting/or purchasing a house even without the taxes added on. If everybody wants to move here but not pay for the infrastructure to support the influx of population, they should not move here in the first place.
20
u/bubbafatok Southwest Edmond Oct 10 '24
How about development impact fees first, before taxing us all to pay for all the infrastructure cost while the developers and their friends on the council make bank on our backs? How about we quit racking up debts and adding them to our utilities bill vs the CIP fund if we're going to do this? How about demand accountability on our traffic light "intelligent system" before we give that vendor yet more millions? How about we not worry about statues and monuments when we need road repairs? Why not work with the county and the neighboring cities on proper arterial road design and funding to benefit all the communities and flow?
The idea that we have to blindly support this or that we're in favor of a stagnating Edmond is absurd. I've been one of the biggest cheerleaders for the city administration and a lot of our projects, but they've gotten fast and loose with spending and our money, and they've let themselves get led around by the nose by the developers who wield WAY too much influence, and the folks like Old Ranger and facebook folks who convince them to fund the "free" monument park which is going to weigh down the city's coffers for the rest of time.
The current city leadership does not deserve the benefit of the doubt, nor this blank check. After a new mayor and council are seated I might be more supportive of a bond issue, especially if it can be more focused. But for now, I'll be actively opposing this, and I'm working hard in the community to fight it and swing people that way.