Del City Officials Hope Residents Pass Tax Increase For Public Safety

Oklahoma voters will take to the polls Tuesday across the metro.

In Del City, policemen and firefighters are hoping citizens approve a half-cent sales tax increase for public safety.

Del City was forced to close one of its two fire stations this year, because people are leaving faster than they can be replaced.

Many of their former colleagues have left for better paying jobs in neighboring cities.

A brand-new fire station slated to open in January would bring an engine closer to those southern citizens, but the department still needs people to work there.

The sales tax revenue would also give raises to police officers and emergency dispatchers, who face a similar wage gap to their neighbor agencies.

"It's an investment, the time, the energy, the money that we spend on hiring firefighters. We've got to keep them. We can't train them for other departments and that's kind of what we've run into," Del City fire Maj. Brandon Pursell said.