TULSA, Okla. — The Greenwood Chamber of Commerce is sending a petition to north Tulsans and Greenwood stakeholders to try and be exempt from tens of thousands of dollars in taxes on historical property.
Over the past three years, we’ve told you the stories of Greenwood before, during and after the centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre and how two historic buildings are falling apart, but there’s not enough money to fix them.
“Stadium taxes particularly on land where Black people were killed and where Black hotels stood and was destroyed, it’s just really insensitive on the part of the City of Tulsa to continue taxing that area of town,” said Alvin Muhammad with the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce.
In November, FOX23 looked into potentially racial insensitive cards in the Tulsa Monopoly game that some Greenwood businesses found as offensive.
The card says “Support Black-owned businesses by shopping Black Wall Street. Pay $50.”
Muhammad says the card brings up a bigger problem they’re facing.
“That $50 fee that you are assessed for shopping in the Historic Greenwood District reflects the $50,000 in property taxes and stadium taxes that the Greenwood District is paying presently and these buildings are on National Register, so I think it’s important these buildings are preserved,” Muhammad said.
Muhammad said part of that preserving is to allow those buildings to not pay taxes or to be tax free.
Muhammad said having to pay $50,000 as a historical site, when buildings are falling apart and with the history, is insulting. Which is why they are starting a petition they’re sending to north Tulsans and businesses in the historic area.
“A larger part of the community is concerned about this and feels that is unright that these buildings are taxed the way they are,” Muhammad said.
According to the City, ONEOK Field was built in 2009 and stadium taxes fund maintenance needs and improvements.
The city says in the past federal properties, churches and homestead properties are exempt from stadium improvement taxes. And businesses have the opportunity to petition an exemption yearly at a county level.
