Metropolitan Area Projects evolution & momentum

[Laramie]

Mayor Ron Norick was a driving force behind the original capital improvements vision to pay for items before they were built. Projects focused on the city's aging infrastructure; a new downtown library, arena, Oklahoma River improvements (3 dams), renovated civic center music hall and a new ballpark were all part of those original plan.

A dedicated one-cent sales tax would have to be approved by voters; projected to generate $350 million for MAPS allowing projects to be paid for in cash, without incurring debt helped influence voters to approve the measure.

Recognizing the needs of a city struggling to revitalize its core, city voters approved MAPS in December 1993. A surreal moment for Oklahoma City that led to a 6 month extension to complete the original MAPS with subsequent passage of MAPS for Kids, a 60% approval, $700 million initiative & MAPS III, a $777 million program, approved by voters in 2009 with 54% of the vote (the same percentage as the Original MAPS.) .

[HOT ROD]

very nice. Pete, would you or an admin care to move over my posts from the cc thread to here? if not I can repost my thoughts/recommendations.

[Laramie]

Council gives MAPS 4 final OK

By William Crum
Staff writer wcrum@oklahoman.com

The Oklahoma City Council on Tuesday took the final step toward placing MAPS 4 before voters on Dec. 10, passing a sales tax ordinance that, with voters' approval, would take effect April 1, 2020.

The measure would extend the 1-cent MAPS for streets sales tax for eight years, raising an estimated $978 million.

The sales tax rate would remain the same, 8.625%; 4.125% remains with the city and the balance goes to the state.

There are 16 projects in MAPS 4.

Money has been allocated to a civil rights museum, sports venues, affordable housing, an animal shelter, beautifying traffic corridors, facilities for agencies addressing domestic violence and diverting low-level offenders from jail, parks, transit, sidewalks and related street improvements, senior health and wellness centers, youth centers, job-creation initiatives, and mental health crisis centers and related facilities.

Voters will decide whether to approve a general sales tax, similar to the 2017 quarter-cent sales tax increase voters approved to hire additional police and firefighters.

The measure mirrors the 2009 MAPS 3 sales tax in that it is a “limitedterm” levy that would expire March 31, 2028.

It differs in that MAPS 3 — levied for seven years and nine months — was a limited-purpose sales tax, earmarked specifically for capital improvements.

MAPS 3 was followed Jan. 1, 2018, by the 27-month MAPS for streets extension, which is raising an estimated $240 million for street resurfacing and related improvements.

It expires the day before MAPS 4 would take effect.

River cash OK’d

The council voted 8-1 to transfer up to $1.5 million over the next nine months to the Boathouse Foundation, which operates, manages and maintains the $46.2 million MAPS 3 whitewater park under terms of an agreement with the city.

The whitewater park and related Riversport Adventures attractions on the Oklahoma River have operating losses, contributing to the nonprofit foundation’s cash flow problems.

The council transferred $2 million to the foundation last year, and required a restructuring of its board and leadership.

Voters will decide whether to approve a general sales tax, similar to the 2017 quarter-cent sales tax increase voters approved to hire additional police and firefighters.

[Laramie]

Shadid challenges MAPS 4

By William Crum
Staff writer wcrum@oklahoman.com

Former Ward 2 Oklahoma City Councilman Ed Shadid on Wednesday asked the Oklahoma Supreme Court to scuttle MAPS 4, arguing the way the proposal is structured unconstitutionally deprives voters of the chance to decide how their tax money will be spent.

In a petition to the high court, Shadid's attorney, Jay Barnett, wrote that MAPS 4 "fails the single-subject requirement" of Article 5, Section 57 of the constitution.

The petition says the constitution and state law require "a distinction" between general and special taxes.

In it, Barnett argues MAPS 4 is not a general tax and says analysis of a 2017 high court ruling "shows the purpose and effect of MAPS 4 is to fund an array of special projects."

Mayor David Holt said Wednesday afternoon that he would have no immediate comment on the lawsuit.

MAPS 4 would extend the 1-cent MAPS for streets sales tax, approved by voters in 2017 to fund street resurfacing and related improvements, for eight years, raising an estimated $978 million. The city council has set the MAPS 4 election for Dec. 10.

The council passed a "resolution of intent" expressing its intention for how the proceeds of the MAPS 4 sales tax will be spent.

Previous councils have made similar promises and council members have insisted city administrators adhere to those promises to protect MAPS' credibility.

Voters first approved Metropolitan Area Projects in 1993 as a temporary tax. It has been renewed a number of times since then, always for a limited duration. Voters have approved MAPS every time, and the vote has resulted in completed projects across the city.

The MAPS 4 resolution expresses the intent to fund a civil rights museum, sports venues, affordable housing and animal shelter.

Traffic corridors would be beautified, and facilities for agencies addressing domestic violence and diverting lowlevel offenders from jail would be built.

Funding is promised for parks, transit, sidewalks and related street improvements, senior health and wellness centers, youth centers, jobcreation initiatives, and mental health crisis centers and related facilities.

Barnett contends in his petition that MAPS 4 does “exactly” what the state constitution prohibits and offered some examples.

“The city is saying to battered women, that they may receive the help they desperately need, but only if they vote for a soccer stadium," he wrote.

On the MAPS 4 ballot, voters will be asked to decide whether to approve a general sales tax, similar in form to the 2017 quarter-cent sales tax increase voters approved to hire additional police and firefighters.

Barnett is asking the high court to declare that MAPS 4 "does not fall within the 'general revenue exception' to the constitution's single-subject rule," that MAPS 4 is prohibited by the state constitution, and that Oklahoma City "may by no means enforce MAPS 4."

In remarks to the council last month, when the council voted unanimously to send MAPS 4 to voters, Shadid threatened to file a lawsuit on constitutional grounds.

[Laramie]

Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt was the featured guest at an Oklahoma Watch public forum about the city's ambitious MAPS 4 proposal that would generate close to $1 billion in public funding – much of it aimed at addressing human-services and neighborhood issues.