Tulsa, OKC mayors oppose education sales tax initiative

TULSA, Okla. (AP) – The mayors of Oklahoma’s two largest cities are opposing a proposed 1 percent sales tax to support public education, saying the increase is too costly and could cripple their chances to pass future municipal bond packages.
Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett and Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett joined mayors from more than three-dozen cities this week in opposing State Question 779.
The tax would generate an estimated $550 million annually for public education.
Supporters say the tax is needed because education has been critically underfunded in Oklahoma. The average teacher salary in 2014-2015 ranked 48th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
The mayors say the tax will make it harder to pass bond packages such as the successful MAPS program in Oklahoma City and Vision Tulsa.