COWETA, Okla. — Propositions on the ballot are stirring up debate in Wagoner County, where residents will vote in a special election next month.
There was a public meeting in Coweta on Feb. 1, where they held a public question-and-answer session for eight propositions on the ballot.
Tensions, however, ran high at that town hall.
While the contents of ballot measures themselves certainly played a role, the way these were pushed through has sparked ire among voters and officials alike.
The meeting in Coweta was held for Wagoner County residents to learn more about the new propositions on the March 5 ballot and ask questions.
Wagoner County currently has a 1.3% sales tax, but the county is proposing a half-penny increase on that tax.
Locally, they will vote on eight propositions concerning sales taxes. The questions concern the Wagoner County Jail, Courthouse, and Fairgrounds.
If all pass, sales taxes could go up as much as two cents for 30 years.
At the same time, one proposed change to the current tax involves splitting the third-of-a-percent tax from support for fire departments and also including ambulance and emergency response.
One county commissioner said he didn't even see the resolutions till Monday morning and wasn't "part of any discussion." That's why he said he's voting no.
"On that day, I voted no on all of these, everyone one of them," Commissioner James Hanning of District 1 said. "This isn't a cherry pick, 'This one's good, this one's not.' They're all bad because of the way they were done."
"And I didn't get to see any of it until the day— until the day they asked me to vote on it," he said. "And there is a way to expand the ambulance service and make it better, going to our leaders in the emergency field service that we currently have, going to them."
The audience broke into applause following those remarks.
This EMS and fire service issue has split residents.
"We need them in our little town and other towns, too," Donna Merrill told 2 News Oklahoma about her concerns with the fire departments, "because if the EMS can't make it... well, then the fire departments are there for first responders to get there before the EMS."
"My concern is," Merrill said, "we don't need our taxes raised. They're getting enough money off of us as it is."
The back-and-forth over EMS and fire services is years long. As one county commissioner noted, it has "always comes down to funding."
"We need the ambulance," said Commissioner Chris Edwards of District 2. "We need help."
"And I'm not griping about any of the help with the cities, because that would be great," he said. "But, we're 87,000 people. We're overwhelmed. The unincorporated part of Wagoner County has grown like crazy. "
"What is a life worth?" Edwards asked everyone.
Wagoner County residents have two more opportunities to voice their opinions and ask questions about the measures. At 6 pm on both Feb. 6, and Feb. 7, there will be meetings in Broken Arrow at the Glass Veranda at Forest Ridge, not far from where E. Kenosha Street meets S. 257th East Avenue.
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