Sales figures, 60+ projects reveal Sallisaw is ‘community on the rise’

While there are those who may boycott inflation and higher prices by drastically cutting back on making purchases, sales tax figures for Sallisaw since 2017 do not reflect such a protest.

In the past seven fiscal years, the city coffers have grown by more than $50 million due to sales tax receipts alone. This windfall is a result of a growth of more than 41 percent in taxable sales during the period, from $135 million in FY2017 to $191 million for FY2024.

While there are those who have impugned the city’s leadership as recently as this week with a challenge that “we can do better” amid calls for action that will “foster positive growth,” sales that are up by almost $56 million which generate annual sales tax revenue approaching $8 million belie such criticism.

According to figures obtained from the city, Sallisaw has already generated more than $190 million in taxable sales during fiscal year 2024, which still has two weeks remaining.

For the past seven fiscal years, the city has experienced only positive growth in taxable sales year over year — even during the pandemic — with an increase of $55,745,702 from FY2017 to date.

Taxable sales year by year are:

• FY2017 — $135,121,750

• FY2018 — $135,374,425

• FY2019 — $143,771,476

• FY2020 — $152,880,135

• FY2021 — $171,831,337

• FY2022 — $179,116,022

• FY2023 — $183,829,922

• FY2024 — $190,867,452

Likewise, sales tax revenue, which is generated through a 4% city tax, has increased by 41.26% during that period, which totals $51,711,700 since 2017.

Sales tax revenue year by year are:

• FY2017 — $5,404,870

• FY2018 — $5,414,977

• FY2019 — $5,750,859

• FY2020 — $6,115,205

• FY2021 — $6,873,253

• FY2022 — $7,164,641

• FY2023 — $7,353,197

• FY2024 — $7,634,698

“They say there is no growth in the community,” Sallisaw City Manager Keith Skelton said Monday in addressing a call from citizens for his termination. “Please explain then why we have a 41% increase in taxable sales in the community over the last seven years. I’d put that rate up against any community in the state of Oklahoma.”

Skelton then pointed to the city’s May budget presentation workshop, claiming that “Sallisaw is a great community on the rise.”

“We have many people who love Sallisaw and want to do what they can to make it even better. We have a great future, and I look forward to being part of it,” he said.

In addition, Sallisaw’s fiscal health is further corroborated by more than 60 community projects either completed or underway.

Since February 2016, the city has completed 41 projects directly impacting the community’s quality of life and well being at a cost of almost $17 million. The city also has 20 projects underway at a cost of almost $16 million.

Completed projects

Total cost $16,741,350

• Airport AWOS replacement, 2/11/22-11/21/22, cost $250,000

• Airport PAPI lights, 1/28/1910/19/19, cost $147,975

• Airport drainage pipe, 8/14/186/30/21, cost $230,996

• Airport fuel farm, 1/14/206/30/21, cost $427,366

• Airport maintenance hangar, 10/1/20-1/26/21, cost $25,600

• Brushy Lake Campground electrical, 11/10/20-1/4/22, cost $65,000

• City civic center, 8/6/191/24/20, cost $405,591

• City council chambers, 9/28/215/6/22, cost $529,100

• Cost of electric service study, 10/8/19-2/21/20, cost $35,000

• Council/SFD alley rework, 7/1/22-8/13/22, cost $24,990

• Courthouse drain, 7/26/228/6/22, cost $8,000

• Crosswalks at Oak & Cherokee, 3/1/22-10/22/22, cost $91,000

• Electric pole replacements, 1/14/22-6/23/22, cost $174,249

• Finance payment kiosk, 12/11/20-5/25/21, cost $63,546

• I-40 electric line crossings, 3/14/18-2/15/20, cost $80,801

• Jay Reynolds Park playground, 1/15/20-2/11/20, cost $49,999

• Jay Reynolds Park splash pad, 2/12/19-9/18/19, cost $324,755

• Landfill electric line extension, 11/24/20-1/8/22, cost $181,094

• Landfill Cell 8 construction, 2/1/16-11/1/18, cost $378,827

• Library entry door, flower beds, 1/28/20-6/18/20, cost $35,264

• Library gazebo, 1/2/19-2/1/19, cost $20,080

• North substation electric, 10/1/20-9/1/22, cost $1,267,938

• Parks Dept. building storage, 8/12/20-10/20/20, cost $25,775

• Parks Dept. dugout canopy covers, 3/28/23-4/29/23, cost $87,000

• Parks Dept. softball shade structures, 10/9/19-1/6/20, cost $120,000

• Parks Dept. sports complex walking trail, 5/3/18-5/23/20, cost $338,190

• Parks Dept. sports complex, 7/1/12-6/1/16, cost $5,164,144

• Parks Dept. sports complex exercise equip., 4/13/21-6/22/21, cost $45,976

• Parks Dept. walking trail restroom building, 3/13/23-6/17/23, cost $23,760

• Police Dept. roof/exterior, 6/1/23-3/6/24, cost $432,654

• Sewer lines, Redwood & Commence, 1/8/19-7/9/19, cost $151,604

• Sewer line projects FY20, 3/11/20-10/1/20, cost $168,431

• Sewer line projects FY22, 8/9/21-10/29/22, cost $215,487

• Sewer construction, U.S. 59, 10/2/17-6/9/18, cost $832,380

• Sidewalk at Pocket Park, 9/21/19-10/10/19, cost $8,000

• Street asphalt project FY20, 7/8/19-4/4/20, cost $237,102

• Street asphalt project FY21, 10/1/20-6/14/21, cost $226,634

• Water construction U.S. 59, 9/11/17-6/30/18, cost $988,806

• WWTP bar screen replacement, 7/29/20-6/9/23, cost $828,080

• WWTP flow equalization basin I, 11/6/18-11/4/21, cost $938,445

• WWTP flow equalization basin II, 11/1/20-1/26/22, cost $1,091,711

Active projects

Total cost $15,810,610

• Airport runway lighting, wine cone, started 11/16/22, cost $63,830

• Airport runway crack seal project, started 2/12/24, cost $224,508

• Airport taxiway seal and coat, started 9/12/23, cost $178,510

• Electric, S. Cedar improvements, started 6/21/23, cost $250,000

• Electric/fiber, U.S. 59 North, started 6/14/18, cost $850,000

• Electric Dept. storm sirens, started 9/12/23, cost $68,900

• Electric/Water AMI project, started 7/1/20, cost $3,000,000

• Landfill Cell 8A construction, started 7/12/21, cost $1,492,774

• Landfill expansion (engineering), started 10/1/19, cost $150,000

• Landfill methane project, started 2/4/19, cost not determined

• Parks Dept. aquatics center, started 4/11/22, cost $6,144,724

• Parks Dept. skatepark, started 4/11/20, cost $700,000

• Parks Dept. walking trail solar lights, started 5/4/21, cost $157,728

• Police gun range relocation, started 5/4/21, cost $25,000

• Sewer Dept., Drake extension, ongoing, cost not determined

• Sewer Dept., Fryar Drive, started 12/15/22, cost $213,434

• Sewer Dept., McGee lift station, started 9/13/22, cost $347,000

• South Cedar clearing, started 5/1/24, cost $88,000

• Water loop, Badger & Maple, started 9/13/22, $577,202

• Water loop, Drake & Lenington, started 1/5/22, cost $1,279,000