The City of Tulsa is raising the stadium tax for downtown properties. However, some businesses downtown say they aren’t happy about the increases. Greenwood business owners said the Tulsa Stadium Improvement District Tax is something that shouldn’t be a bill for the historic buildings on Greenwood.

Businesses on Greenwood, like Gina Woods, who owns The Loc Shop, heard the news of the stadium tax increase last week. She said the ballpark coming downtown was supposed to generate more revenue for businesses.

“It doesn’t bring more business for Greenwood. Folks park in the parking spots in front of our storefronts and walk straight to the park, leave the park, get in their car and leave,” she said.

During last week’s city council meeting, city councilors approved the increase for the TSID, something that was established in 2008. Here’s the breakdown from the city:

“The taxing structure for the Tulsa Stadium Improvement District is not new and has been in place since the district was established in 2008.

Properties located within the IDL (roughly 1,350 properties) are assessed annually for two purposes: payoff debt associated with the ballpark and provide services in Downtown.

The debt service portion has remained at 4.3 cents per square foot – a number that hasn’t changed since 2008. The portion paying for Downtown services like maintenance and security is adjusted every year for inflation. The services portion went from 2.96 cents per square foot this last fiscal year to 3.04 cents per square foot for this upcoming fiscal year. The formula was established by City Ordinance when TSID was established.

SEE ALSO:

A few weeks ago, property owners within the district were sent a copy of the resolution notifying them of the June 4 public hearing and the proposed assessment to be billed in July.

They were informed that objections had to be received at the City Clerk’s office no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, May 30, to be voiced at the public hearing and considered by the Council.

This happens every year in a process whereby the ordinance is brought to the City Council after those letters are sent. No objections were made this year, and the ordinance passed.

In recent years, the objections have tended to be over Tulsa County’s square footage assessments, which are usually resolved with the County Assessor’s Office prior to the Council meeting.

The Downtown Tulsa Partnership is responsible for delivering on the majority of the services portion of those funds, which this last year has resulted in more than $30,000 in lighting improvements, as well as the installation of at least four new trash receptacles and six new benches, as well as Downtown engagement through ambassadors.

The process for these upgrades was done in direct consultation and feedback from property and business owners. The funding also goes toward other essential services and beautification efforts in the district.

Woods said instead of paying taxes for a ballpark on Greenwood land, the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce needs money to fix the historic buildings.

“We have issues with heating and air because our businesses are so old. It’s really just morally, looking at it, it’s wrong,” Woods said.

Ron Durbin, who used to be a lawyer for the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce, said the Chamber sold the land to the city for the ballpark for $800,000, and so the historic Chamber businesses shouldn’t be taxed.

“Frankly, if the city wants to do something with this whole reparations package, they should give the land back to the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce and they should lease the land to the Chamber for 100 years and pay the Chamber so they can take care of these historic buildings,” Durbin said.

According to the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce, “The first step is to be exempt from these stadium taxes. In terms of infrastructural demands, stadium taxes do not benefit us. This tax is disrespectful to the history of the area, which was destroyed some time ago, and the residents rebuilt without assistance from the city of Tulsa. We appreciate and enjoy baseball, soccer, and cultural recreational activities. But no more stadium taxes.”

Businesses will start seeing the increases next month.