Yukon sales tax revenues up 9.17% for ‘22

By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer

After Yukon’s sales tax collections increased more than 9% year-over-year in 2022, city officials are encouraged about business growth in 2023.

The City of Yukon’s cumulative sales tax distributions from the Oklahoma Tax Commission in calendar year 2022 were 9.17% above 2021. Use tax revenues were up 13.33% in the 12-month comparison.

Yukon city leaders hope the upward trend continues in calendar year 2023, which began with January’s $2,582,520.78 sales tax distribution. That was 6.28% more than January ’22.

Yukon City Manager Tammy Kretchmar recently discussed several new businesses that will open in Yukon city limits during 2023, helping boost local sales tax coffers.

• A HTeaO fresh-brewed tea store is being constructed in the Yukon Angle Addition at First Place Boulevard and Garth Brooks Boulevard just south of the Yukon Post Office
• A Mardel Christian & Education bookstore is being built in West End Pointe between Kohl’s and Staples near N.W. 10^th and Garth Brooks Boulevard.
• State Beauty Supply is building a larger store in this same commercial development between Interstate 40 and N.W. 10^th.

“And we have more to come,” Kretchmar declared at the Jan. 17^th Yukon City Council meeting.

In a review of City of Yukon accomplishments for 2022, the city manager listed several new restaurants among businesses that opened.

“Some of the stores that moved to Yukon and located here in our city limits were Hawaiian Brothers, Dutch Bros. Coffee, Country Equipment, Twisted Axe Throw House, Bath Sorbet, Panang 9, Casey’s General Store, Pauline’s Southern Kitchen, and many more,” she said.

Among others was an expanded Mathis Sleep Center.

Sales tax revenues are the primary source of funding for municipal government services.

That’s why Mayor Shelli Selby constantly reminds Yukon residents to spend their sales tax dollars inside Yukon city limits.

“We love having our sales tax revenues go up but, unfortunately, so is inflation and the cost to take care of our city roads, sewer, etcetera,” Selby said this week. “So, we must be vigilant in ‘shopping local’ to keep our tax dollars here.

“Oklahoma City is building on every inch of land. The price of land in Oklahoma City is so much cheaper so we have to know our boundaries and shop north of 10th Street. We will continue to strive to bring new businesses here to Yukon.”

Yukon’s mayor believes having the new Mardel’s store will help Yukon residents both with product and sales tax revenue.

“We welcome them with open arms,” she added.

Stores on the south side of 10^th Street may have Yukon addresses but are inside Oklahoma City’s corporate boundaries.

The Market at Czech Hall, west of Czech Hall Road and south of N.W. 10^th, is a large retail center in Oklahoma City limits.

This development saw HomeGoods, Mo’ Bettahs Hawaiian Style Food and Slim Chickens among businesses debuting in 2022.

New Pub W, Neighborhood Jam and Wing Stop restaurants will be among 2023 additions to The Market at Czech Hall.

Also coming south of 10^th Street – just east of Cemetery Road – will be a newly built Joe Cooper Chrysler Jeep Dodge dealership.

Expected to open this fall, the business also will be in Oklahoma City.

COMING TO YUKON IN ’23 …

Besides business openings on the horizon, City Manager Kretchmar outlined key projects and programs coming to the City of Yukon in 2023:

• City of Yukon voters will head to the polls Tuesday, Feb. 14 to cast ballots on a $37.5 million bond issue to fund a list of 17 street and sidewalk projects (see full story in upcoming edition).
• Major street striping on city roadways and Parkland sewer lift station upgrades are among budgeted capital improvements.
• Phase two of the State Highway 4 project – from Main Street north to the N Canadian River bridge – is due to start this spring.
• Water and sewer line upgrades, funded through federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) stimulus funds, will get underway.
• The de-annexation of Yukon’s half of Wilshire Boulevard to Oklahoma City will be finalized.
• A revised agreement with Oklahoma City to allow more development than a sports/soccer complex on property at Frisco Road and Main Street will be completed.
• Outdoor tennis courts at Kimbell Park and Yukon City Park will be rehabilitated for both tennis and pickleball.
• A new disc golf course will be installed at Welch Park.
• Construction will begin on a new Freedom Trail “inclusive” playground and splash pad water feature.

LOOK BACK AT 2022

Roadway and drainage projects were among a long list of 2022 accomplishments that Yukon’s city manager shared at Jan. 17th city council meeting.

Among highlights and achievements were:

• New concrete paving was poured on Wagner Road between SH-4 to Yukon Parkway.
• Drainage improvements were made in the Turtle Creek area.
• New pavement was installed along 11^th Street from the North Canadian River bridge to Wilshire.
• Sidewalk improvements were done on the new Garth Brooks Trail from Main Street to Vandament.
• A Richland Road bridge was upgraded over the North Canadian River.
• New equipment purchases included a fire rescue pumper and utility terrain vehicles, eight police Tahoe sport utility vehicles, three sanitation trucks, and parks maintenance mowers.
• The City of Yukon earned “Film-friendly Community” certification and was voted second “Most Popular Place to Live,” while the 73099 zip code was ranked third fastest growing in U.S.
• City Human Resources Director Cyndi Shivers won Oklahoma Municipal League’s Don Rider Award.
• City Manager Kretchmar won OML’s Jeff Shockley Award and the Oklahoma City Management Association’s Gerald Wilkins Award as City Manager of the Year.
• The Yukon Community Survey was a finalist for the OML Innovation Award.
• The City of Yukon’s finance bond rating was upgraded two rankings, from AA- to A.
• The City of Yukon received a “clean” audit for fiscal year 2021.
• Year-to-date sales tax revenues were up 11.42% for FY 2022 ending June 30.
• City paid off 2013 and 2015-A revenue notes, resulting in additional funds for capital projects.
• The Yukon Capital Project Advisory Board was formed to review citizen input from surveys and town hall meetings. The board made recommendations to the city council about priority capital improvement projects.
• A Human Resources workplace safety program resulting in a workers’ compensation cost savings for the City of Yukon.
• Yukon police officers were honored for saving the life of a choking baby.
• Yukon Parks & Recreation hosts a grand re-opening for Kimbell Bay pool, which saw increased attendance.
• Record crowds attended special events like Festival of the Child, Kids Fish Out and Halloween Spooksville.
• The Mabel C. Fry Public Library open a story trail at Kimbell Park.
• The Yukon Technology Department installed fiber optic lines between city buildings.
• An old lumberyard in downtown Yukon was demolished, with future development planned.
• The Yukon Main Street program unveiled a “Sunset Mural” at 528 W Main.