From ESPN:
Oklahoma City voters approved a sales tax extension Tuesday to fund $121.6 million in improvements to a downtown arena and build a practice facility in hopes of luring an NBA team.
The proposal received support from 44,849 voters, or 62 percent of those who cast ballots, according to final results from the Oklahoma County Election Board.
The plan calls for a one-penny sales tax to be extended by 15 months to pay for $97 million in upgrades to the Ford Center and another $24.6 million for a brand new NBA practice facility.
This in spite of the recent announcement that the Supersonics have had no impact on Seattle. Surely the good folk of Oklahoma City have other entertainment options.
The politicians can claim “no new taxes” were used in luring an NBA team should one come. Other than political rhetoric, what’s the difference between extending a 1-cent sales tax and letting a 1-cent tax expire and immediately enacting a new one?
