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The Special Municipal Election for the City of Dewey is rapidly approaching.

Dewey City Manager Kevin Trease said they are going to make a hard push to get support from the public to raise the sales tax rate. He said they will match the sales tax rate of Bartlesville. The sales tax collections will be used for public safety (i.e. fire and police services), the Dewey Public Library and the Dewey City Cemetery.

The City of Dewey currently has a two-cent sales tax that goes towards the General Fund. Trease said one cent goes towards Capital Improvement. That can not be used for salaries to pay police officers at the department.

Trease said they are getting more people to fill voids at the Dewey Police Department, but the City wants to be able to pay them. The only position open at this time is the Detective Position.

The the total tax for Dewey would be 3.4 if passed by voters on Tuesday, May 14th. The total tax combined with the State and Washington County taxes would be 8.9 if the voters approved the increase in Dewey's sales tax rate.