Published: June 24, 2009 11:01 am      

Williams looks at building new Tuttle store

Minco’s loss may be Tuttle’s gain.

Jeff Williams, co-owner of Minco’s William’s Discount Food store that was destroyed by fire in May, has presented a proposal to the Tuttle City Council asking for a sales tax break to build a new store in Tuttle, replacing the existing store on Main Street.

“Right now, we have options in Tuttle to pursue before we look at Minco again,” Williams said. “If the City Council votes against the proposal, we’ll go back and take a look at Minco.”

Williams said he is looking at land located behind the Family Dollar Store and the Sonic Drive-In as the location for the proposed new grocery store.

Williams said a new store in Tuttle will run about $3.8 million and the cost of a new Minco store would be about $2 million.

“We can’t afford to do both,” he said.

“The council is studying the issue and its options and has not made a decision yet,” said Tuttle City Manager Tim Young, who also said a Minco City council member has been attending the Tuttle council meetings.

With sales tax being the largest local funding source, Tuttle is far behind said Young. In Tuttle, a city of nearly 6,000 residents, William’s contributes a little more than five percent of sales tax revenue. However, in Minco, a town of about 1,800 residents, the William’s store brought in 33 percent of the town’s sales tax revenue.

For comparison, on a per penney per resident per month basis, Tuttle brings in $4.75 per month, while Chickasha brings in $12 a month, Mustang $9 a month and Newcastle $13 a month.

“Our current tax rate in Tuttle is four percent, on top of the state’s 4.5 percent and the county’s one-fourth percent,” said Young. “We have to focus on economic development.”

Young said an Economic Development Survey to determine shopping habits and what residents would like to see in Tuttle will be distributed throughout the community in water bills and will also be available at the city’s website, www.cityoftuttle.com. Residents will have until July 15 to fill out and return the surveys.

“Any adult in the Tuttle area may fill out a survey, it’s not restricted to residents,” Young said.

While Young said sales tax revenue for the year is 13 percent higher compared to the last fiscal year, thanks to more people moving to the area, utility rates are being adjusted.

“Water bills are up one percent to six cents per 1,000 gallons, the first increase in two years, sewer bills will be up five percent, the first increase since 1999 and we wil l create a new base fee of $7 for gas, with no further increases and we will no longer have a minimum rate for gas. The last gas increase was in 1992,” Young said. “We need this to help maintain systems because we have increased our infrastructure, but we have fewer employees.”

Young said despite the increase in the base rate for natural gas, Tuttle residents’ bills average $30 less per month than Oklahoma City residents pay for ONG.