Our current police station was constructed in the 1940s, and our fire department in the late ‘90s, and neither were ever intended to be used for public safety. As a result, both our police and fire departments have outgrown their current facilities and are operationally challenged by the current situation. There is simply no room for additional records, personnel, technology, dispatching, or equipment – or even adequate restroom and living areas – all of which impacts their ability to serve our growing community.
It is vital, as Catoosa continues to grow, that our public safety facilities and services grow too. If passed, the Our Catoosa Now bond would create a funding source to build a new, modern complex better located to serve all of Catoosa.
General obligation (GO) bonds are often used to fund large public infrastructure projects, like the proposed public safety building. This type of bond is repaid through yearly property taxes until the bond expires. After a GO bond expires, the property tax collected to pay for it retires.
The cost of this GO bond is $20,500,000.
The proposed bond would expire in 2048.
This bond, if passed, will affect all ad valorem (property) taxpayers in Catoosa, meaning homeowners and business owners will share the burden. The tax impact will be highest in the first year of bond sales, resulting in the "1st year levy." The average levy is the expected impact on all subsequent years after the first, until the bond expires in 2048.
Tax Impact Handout
Our operating budget is composed of local sales taxes, use or excise taxes, inspections and permits – and those sources do not increase enough annually on their own to fund major projects and initiatives. That’s why city governments, including Catoosa, often bring funding options like GO bonds to their voters to address critical infrastructure needs.
If the bond is approved by voters, we anticipate breaking ground for the new public safety complex in late 2022 and officially opening sometime in 2024.
It will be built on city-owned property on the northwest corner of Pine Street and N. 193rd E. Place. It is sited to better serve our current and future residents and improve response times city-wide.
If this bond is not approved by voters, nothing will happen. Our police and fire departments will continue to operate with the resources they have in their current facilities and will continue to do their best for our community, given the operational challenges of the current situation. As our public safety needs increase and the current facilities continue to deteriorate, those challenges will eventually demand an urgent solution.
Local elections impact many important aspects of our communities, including public safety, so we want to encourage everyone to get out and vote on April 5. To check your voter registration status and find your polling place, visit the Oklahoma Voter Portal.