GROVE, Okla. – The Grove city council unanimously approved on Tuesday to hold a special election for the purpose of raising the city sales taxes to build a new fire and police department buildings.
The 15-year six-tenths of a cent sale tax special election will be held on Jan. 9.
Grove City Council Resolution, Oct. 17, 2023
Sales tax proceeds will be collected from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2039, and will build a 26,116-square-foot fire station at a cost of $8.6 million and a 15,888-square-foot police station at a cost of $7.54 million.
Proposed Fire and Police Buildings
The proposal which passed by a 5-0 vote will increase Grove’s sales tax to 10.2 percent, a jump from the current 9.6 percent sales tax.
The Oklahoma sales tax rate is currently 4.5 percent, Delaware County sales tax rate is 1.7 percent and Grove’s sales tax rate is 3.4 percent.
An increase would push the Grand Lake community to one of the highest-taxed communities in the state.
Earlier Grove voters rejected a 25-year, $16.5 million bond proposal in September by a vote of 662 votes opposing the initiative to 457 in favor, or 59.16 percent to 40.84 percent.
Residents in attendance at several city meetings showed support of a sales tax to fund these projects.
Area tax rates:
| Colcord | 10.95 percent |
| Commerce | 10.85 percent |
| Miami | 9.5 percent |
| Vinita | 9.5 percent |
| Siloam Springs, Ark. | 9.5 percent |
| Jay | 9.2 percent |
| Fairland | 8.85 percent |
| Wyandotte | 8.85 percent |
| Quapaw | 8.85 percent |
| Joplin, Mo. | 8.74 percent |
