The City of Duncan is rethinking economic development to better serve the citizens and provide more transparency around economic development dollars, but taxes will not go up if voters vote yes on June 18.

The sales tax measure on the ballot would keep the sales tax amount exactly as it has been for decades in Duncan; the only difference is that none of the money would be statutorily obligated to the Duncan Area Economic Development Foundation (DAEDF). DAEDF does have the option to continue to request funds from the Trust and are encouraged to do so.

The change is significant in that it will provide greater oversight into how citizen tax dollars are spent. From 1994 through 2022, DAEDF received $45.57 million in sales tax dollars from the City of Duncan with limited accountability to taxpayers.

DAEDF’s practices have been questioned by the Mayor, and, recently, the State Auditor’s Office. At the Mayor’s request, the State Auditor’s Office recently reviewed DAEDF’s history of purchasing real estate and constructing buildings with citizen tax dollars and placing those properties in DAEDF’s name. The State Auditor’s Office provided an opinion stating those properties should be placed in the Trust Authority belonging to the City and the citizens of Duncan.

“The Mayor and Council are committed to doing things right, and to transparency when it comes to our tax dollars,” said Duncan Mayor Robert Armstrong. “It’s clear that DAEDF is willing to hurt the entire city to protect their own interests. If the sales tax vote fails, there will be no money for street repairs, neighborhood lighting or economic development. City leadership is committed to doing economic development in a way that's transparent and efficient and that benefits all the citizens. It is clear that DAEDF doesn't share that commitment.”

Sales tax dollars fund street repairs and neighborhood lighting; both of those things are integral to public safety.

“DAEDF’s model requires exclusivity and is focused on manufacturing and enticing outside businesses to come to Duncan,” Armstrong said. “Council’s vision is bigger than that. Other communities have used economic development dollars to fund quality of life initiatives to move their city forward using those funds to support retail, restaurants and small local businesses. We want to support those initiatives, and it doesn’t make sense for the citizens to be locked into DAEDF’s my-way or the highway model.”

“The City of Duncan, its employees and the Council are the entities that touch everyone’s lives in this community,” said City Council Member Patty Wininger. “Our goal is to make this City a vibrant and thriving community -- a place where people want to live, work, and play and that people are proud to call home. We want to keep Duncan moving forward and grow our community for those who are here now and those who come behind us.”