Windfall for OK Schools, Libraries

Oklahoma County releases millions in protest tax payments; $1.7 million to go to schools

By Alex Sinclair -- School Library Journal, 9/1/2004

You never know what a few pesky questions by an intrepid reporter might lead to. In Oklahoma, it resulted in the discovery of a $1.7 million windfall for the Oklahoma County School District.

It all started when journalist Steve Lackmeyer of The Oklahoman started digging into the history of tax protests in the state after being assigned to cover a tax protest to an upscale development in Oklahoma City.

County Treasurer Butch Freeman looked into Lackmeyer's question and discovered that $10.6 million had been sitting dormant in an interest-bearing escrow account for 25 years. The money had been accumulating from various protest taxes that were intended for Oklahoma County services, including schools and libraries. Some unresolved protest tax cases involved payments as high as $905,080, dating back to 1991.

Until the early 1990s, money from state residents who wrote "I protest" on their tax checks was placed in an escrow account and kept away from schools, libraries, and local government until the issues were resolved.

Legal changes in taxpayer protest payments will prevent the accumulation of funds in the future, says Freeman, who has already disbursed at least two-thirds of the funds to Oklahoma County's schools, libraries, and the community.

The Metropolitan Library System, which is part of the county system, has already received $262,390. And additional cash is to be distributed to 24 school districts, which can dole out the money to media centers, says Freeman.

Oklahoma City school board member Joe Clytus received $1.5 million for his district, the largest share of the initial $1.7 million allotted to schools. "We need every dime we can get," Clytus told The Oklahoman. "We're very pleased this miraculous discovery has occurred."