NOBLE -- The City of Noble is running about $95,000 under budget. Sales tax revenues are down, and there's cause for concern.
"We've been concerned for two to three months," said Bob Wade, Noble City Manager. "We're probably like most cities, although we'd have thought Noble would be a little more immune because we don't have as many retail opportunities [to produce tax revenue]."
Noble's tax rate is 4 percent. On top of that, the state gets 4.5 percent and Cleveland County gets a quarter of a percent for the new detention center). The city's total operating budget is $ 5,071,112.
Wade speculated that the decline in tax revenue from retail sales could simply be a "genuine reflection of people not spending."
Wade said that he and the city council are concerned enough about it that for the rest of this fiscal year, they are going to be very careful about spending. Several capital projects for the City of Noble have been cancelled, including the purchase of the fire department's new pumper truck, performing major repair work at the sewer plant and installing new flooring at city hall.
A few capital ventures in Noble, such as the Safe Routes to School and the recreational trails projects have been partially funded by monies received from matching grants, which obligates the city to move forward and complete them.
The outlook on the current tax situation is somewhat grim.
"If this trend holds, we will probably consider no raises for anybody, including the union people. Perhaps even personnel cutbacks," Wade said. "We just don't have any margin for error, we just don't have any reserves. We operate too close to the edge."
New businesses opening their doors in Noble should help produce tax revenue, but some haven't been open long enough to see any real trends yet and it's been hard to know the percentage of tax revenues produced by any given business.
However, recently, the Oklahoma Tax Commission has let Noble city officials pull up more-detailed tax information. Wade said this information will be helpful because in the past, tax information was grouped by type of business, making it hard to determine how much revenue was being produced by any given business. With the new system, city officials will be able to view information by permit, allowing them to track who the major tax payers are.
Currently, the city knows that compared to last year, Thanksgiving grocery sales were down $4,000, but it's hard to know if sales were down just at the grocery store or if sales were down across the board at other Noble locations where groceries are sold. The new Tax Commission reports will be able to pinpoint exactly where decreases are occurring.
Wade pointed out that Tulsa recently terminated 130 firefighters and Oklahoma City has laid off city employees as well. He hopes that tightening the belt in Noble will suffice and see the city through its budget woes.
"We're not talking anything drastic like that [laying off people]," Wade said. "We're just cutting out spending that we [currently] have in the budget and we're hoping that it doesn't translate into layoffs of personnel."
Noble
January 23, 2010
Noble's sales tax revenues down
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Fairy Tale Princess Project accepting donations
NOBLE -- The Fairy Tale Princess Project is accepting donations of gently used formal dresses, shoes and accessories to give, free of charge, to high school girls who wish to attend their school prom.
Donations of the above items can be dropped off today from 8 a. -
Robber hits Noble bank
NOBLE -- A man carrying a pistol and a device he claimed was a bomb robbed the First Fidelity Bank at 900 N. Main at about 12:30 p.m. Friday.
A spokesman for the FBI said the device was not a bomb and there were no injuries reported. - NOC Roustabouts concert Feb. 13 in Blackwell Featuring Noble's own Tiffany Guthrie, the world-traveling Northern Oklahoma College Roustabouts will join with the Blackwell High School Vocal Music Department for one performance 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13 in the Blackwell High School Auditorium.
- Parking in Noble discussed by City Council The issue of parking in front of businesses along Main Street in Noble was discussed at a recent city council meeting. A merchant who has property along Main Street was concerned about the use of the angled parking frontage between Chestnut and Cherry streets, fearing area employees who parked there were taking up parking opportunities for customers.
- Candidates vie for Noble school board seat No. 5 Polls will be open Tuesday to select the next Noble school board member for Seat No. 5. The incumbent is Kim Adams who is opposed by Ryan "Leroy" Lukinbill. Cindy Malone is running unopposed for Seat No.
- Filing period for City of Noble Council seats opens Monday Paula Roberts, secretary of the Cleveland County Election Board, announced today the filing period for City of Noble Council Members will be Monday, Feb. 8, through Wednesday, Feb. 10, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.
- Noble library assists job-seekers NOBLE -- The Noble Public Library, 204 N. Fifth, offers a four-part series of programs designed to give those looking for employment some strategies and skills that could lead to success. The Job Hunting programs will be held on Thursday mornings in February from 10 a.
- Noble senior class headed to Six Flags Noble's senior class of 2010 is raising funds and planning a class trip to Six Flags over Texas amusement park. According to Jamie Evans, counselor and senior class sponsor, usually the day before school is out the seniors do something special.
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Historical society to meet
The Southern Cleveland County Historical Society will meet 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Noble library.
Discussion will be on the progress of the restoration of the old Noble jail and the way to best display and collect historical items. -
Noble's sales tax revenues down
NOBLE -- The City of Noble is running about $95,000 under budget. Sales tax revenues are down, and there's cause for concern.
"We've been concerned for two to three months," said Bob Wade, Noble City Manager. - More Noble Headlines
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Fairy Tale Princess Project accepting donations
NOBLE -- The Fairy Tale Princess Project is accepting donations of gently used formal dresses, shoes and accessories to give, free of charge, to high school girls who wish to attend their school prom.
