Kay County voters say "YES!" to sales tax increase

Kay County voters on Oct. 8 passed a sales tax increase that will fund a major reconstruction project at the county courthouse in Newkirk.

According to the Oklahoma State Election Board, 1,400 voters cast a ballot in favor of the measure, while 854 voters cast a ballot against it.

The Kay County Board of Commissioners in August approved a resolution calling for a special election on the ¼ cent sales-tax question. The tax will be levied for 13 years, or until the nearly $12-million construction project at the courthouse has been paid for.

Under the county’s construction plan, the nearly 100-year-old courthouse will be repaired, and two new buildings will be built on the courthouse grounds. The first building will house the offices of the county clerk, county assessor, county treasurer, and election board secretary. It will also house the county commissioners’ chambers, where commissioners hold their weekly public meetings. The second building will house the Oklahoma State University Extension Office, and it will provide more space for the organization’s youth-education programs.