I have looked through some posts and articles on the internet but I have not found answers to these questions.

Why does the city have to declare an emergency to get this passed? (the emergency wording is on the ballot as well as in the ordinance)

What else can be done by the city during this 'emergency'?

You need Doug or Midtowner to answer that question for you. I'm sure it's some sort of legalese, and they're the resident experts. Doug is off voting and I suspect Midtowner is working.

I don't know for sure, but my guess is that the "emergency" allowed for this date to be the polling date instead of waiting for a more "normal" election timeperiod?

You know I often wondered why we vote for bonds and MAPS in December it seems.

Just a guess, but I'm thinking the current tax would expire before the next election cycle. It's easier to continue a tax already voted on than to raise taxes later. Again, just a guess.

Couldn't it have be done sooner to avoid winter weather.
Old and getting grumpy<<<

I have looked through some posts and articles on the internet but I have not found answers to these questions.

Why does the city have to declare an emergency to get this passed? (the emergency wording is on the ballot as well as in the ordinance)

What else can be done by the city during this 'emergency'?

The emergency effects the amount of time that this can take effect after it is passed. The tax needs to be continuous with the lapse of the Big League City tax. We want it to just pick up and begin from there.

The emergency doesn't mean anything else. There isn't anything that the emergency would allow the city to do different than what's on the ballot. The emergency wording just enables the tax to pick up where the current one leaves off, so there is no tax increase when we tack this tax on.

I have looked through some posts and articles on the internet but I have not found answers to these questions.

Why does the city have to declare an emergency to get this passed? (the emergency wording is on the ballot as well as in the ordinance)

What else can be done by the city during this 'emergency'?
The "emergency" provision is legalese which relates to the point in time that the ordinance may take effect. With an "emergency" clause, it can take effect sooner than later ... sorry, but I don't recall the time frames of either.

Bottom line is, it doesn't matter since the ordinance states on its face that it would become effective at 12.00 a.m. on April 1, 2010. Without the emergency clause, the date would have had to have been a later time, though I don't offhand know when that would be.

ON EDIT: You also asked, "What else can be done by the city during this 'emergency?" It's not like martial law or something ... the "emergency" provision relates to nothing other than the date and time that the tax may become effective.

Thanks guys. I appreciate the answers.

NewsOK (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-surveys-outlook-for-jobs-gets-grim/article/3423358?custom_click=lead_story_title)

Looks like we need something that will create jobs!