Mustang community leaders posed one main question to an Oklahoma City MAPS 3 proponent last week: What is in it for us?
Oklahoma City voters will consider the estimated $777 million sales tax initiative Tuesday. More than 50 miles of the Mustang School District is inside Oklahoma City's city limits, and the larger municipality completely surrounds Mustang. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. The proposal needs a simple majority of voters for approval.
Although most of the MAPS 3 projects focus on downtown Oklahoma City, Rae Rice with Yes MAPS told Mustang Positive Posse economic development “snowballs.” Rice is a community affairs manager with OGE Energy Corp., which along with Devon Energy and the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, is a driving force behind the Yes MAPS campaign.
“We want to make Oklahoma City the best it can be,” he said. We think we need to continue to invest in ourselves to continue that momentum. It's all about creating jobs; it's about continuing to improve our economy, add economic development initiatives, and there is a part about health and wellness.”
The history
Voters are being asked to extend a 1-cent sales tax first enacted 17 years ago with the initial Metropolitan Area Projects plan, which raised money to build the Bricktown Ballpark, the Bricktown canal, the downtown library and the Oklahoma Spirit trolley system. It also funded renovations to the Cox Convention Center, the Civic Center Music Hall and Oklahoma City fairgrounds, as well as building trails and improving a stretch of the North Canadian River, which was renamed the Oklahoma River.
In 2000, voters approved extending the tax for MAPS for Kids, which raised funding for capital improvement projects within the city's school districts. As of Sept. 30, Mustang School District had received $14 million for building projects and equipment through MAPS for Kids, and another $3 million has been earmarked for the district.
The MAPS for Kids tax ended Dec. 31, 2008, but voters chose to extend the 1-cent tax until March 31, 2010, to support attracting the NBA Thunder basketball team.
The cost
Voters are being asked to extend the 1-cent sales tax for another seven years and nine months, through December 2017. Rice said officials estimate the tax will raise about $100 million per year.
Taxes will remain at the same rate if the proposal is passed, he said. Oklahoma City's sales tax rate in Canadian County is 8.725 percent and in Oklahoma County is 8.375 percent. The sales tax rate in Mustang and Yukon is 8.85 percent.
Projects would be paid for as funds are raised, Rice said, without selling bonds. Mustang Mayor Jeff Landrith asked if Oklahoma City officials are required by law to follow through with the projects in their proposal, and Rice said projects can be changed depending on costs.
“The city leadership has earned our trust,” Rice said. “MAPS 1, Maps for Kids, the Big League City vote — they have done what they said they would do.”
Proposed projects
In 2007, Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett sought ideas for a MAPS 3 project on the Internet. More than 2,700 people responded, and almost one-quarter listed public transportation as a top priority. Other top suggestions included more trails, street repairs, city beautification and park improvements.
Rice said of the 14 most popular ideas in the survey, 12 were included in a previous bond election or this MAPS proposal. The MAPS 3 package includes:
uA 70-acre central park is expected to cost $130 million. The park will be located between the future boulevard that will replace old Interstate 40 to the Oklahoma River and will include a lake and amenities.
uA transit plan is estimated at $130 million. The plan includes about five miles of downtown streetcar lines and possibly money for other commuter rail transit lines.
Melissa Helsel, Mustang interim development director, asked if Oklahoma City had ever presented a firm map for these plans. Rice said the plan is still flexible because city officials want to seek federal funding to bolster their efforts but don't want to create a proposal that is dependent on additional money. He said the original MAPS plan included transit proposals that were contingent on federal matching dollars, which the city never received.
uA new convention center will be built in about 10 years at a cost of $280 million. Rice said Oklahoma City has about half as much convention space as its peer cities across the nation, and that lack of room is causing the area to miss out on business.
Helsel asked if Oklahoma City would demolish the recently remodeled Cox Convention Center to build the facility, and Rice said a location hasn't been determined.
uCity officials plan to construct 75 miles of sidewalk along major streets and near public facilities such as schools and libraries. The project is expected to cost $10 million.
Rice said the sidewalks would allow residents more safe places to exercise and encourage walking and healthier habits.
uThe city will construct 57 miles of bicycling and walking trails connecting Lake Hefner, Overholser and Stanley Draper to the Oklahoma River. Estimated cost is $40 million.
uA public whitewater kayaking facility and upgrades at the Oklahoma River, costing $60 million, is touted as a project to create a topnotch rowing racecourse.
Helsel asked if the kayaking facility will be self-sustaining long term and pointed to a similar facility in Charlotte, N.C., that is debt and possibly in danger of closing. Rice said he couldn't answer her question.
uHealth and wellness aquatic centers would be constructed for senior citizens at a cost of $50 million.
uRenovations to the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds are included in the plan at a cost of $60 million.
Mustang's role?
Unlike MAPS for Kids, which helped all metropolitan area school districts, Mustang City Councilman Keith Bryan asked why the community should support this package that aims to funnel money and business downtown.
Rice said MAPS is more about the bigger picture. Before the initial MAPS proposal, he said Oklahoma City officials were trying to woo American Airlines to town. Instead the airline's executives chose to move to Indianapolis and told Oklahoma City officials their town didn't offer the quality of life they were looking seeking. In other words, Rice said, there was nothing to do.
Since MAPS, he said Oklahoma City has drawn Dell Computers and other large companies. Several economists named Oklahoma City among the “most recession-proof cities.” Rice said none of that progress would have been possible without MAPS.
“I'm not a big tax guy,” he said. “I want less government. I want smaller government, but I believe that by us investing in ourselves, we will continue the momentum.”