I agree, overall a great interview but there is still a slight mis-perception that keeps getting put out there. MAPS style projects are PRIMARILY pay-as-you-go. Millions ARE spent before it is earned (borrowed to be paid back with interest). Millions more collect interest (but is mitigated by the interest paid on the borrowed money, so could be a wash, especially when the inevitable cost over runs are factored in).

The impression that OKC pays for everything with cash, is not exactly the case either. Case in point MAPS for Kids (mentioned in the interview) was a combination of sales tax and 2 school bond issues ($520M/$180M/$248.3M respectively). Also ignores the the most recent 2007 General Obligation bond paying for $835M more capital improvement projects (as the Mayor mentioned, Oklahoma law says cities are barred from using for operations/personnel). There is $58M more being borrowed with the 2007 GO than what we are expecting from MAPS 3....would love to get away completely from using bonds. Pay as you go is a much better concept.

^^ Agreed Larry- our city does not pay for everything with cash, but it would be impossible to do all the capital projects we need plus the things that we want for QoL without bonds. We should be really proud of OKC- paying for capital projects like all of MAPS, half of MAPS for Kids, and all of MAPS 3, without borrowing money, is impressive and NOT normal. I think MAPS combined with our city's handling of bonds is an excellent representation of fiscally responsible and conservative government that uses, but does not overuse, debt financing. That's why OKC has had the highest-rated municipal bonds for so long.

Not disagreeing with you Shane, but if not mistaken it is more a function of state law (think the Mayor even mentioned it in the above interview) than the nobleness of City leadership being "fiscally responsible". Have to wonder if the state restrictions weren't in place, that we would be in the same situation as many other cities around the country right now.

Just as I have to chuckle in amazement when some politico (Repub or Dem) at the state level states they are going to do what they can to make sure we have a balanced budget. State law (IIRC it is in the State Constitution) requires a balanced State budget. Thanks for doing what is mandated by law!

State level policy does not fully explain OKC's success as evidenced by Tulsa budget problems

Shane, feel free to respond in a PM if you want (so we don't hijack the thread), but what are Tulsa's budget problems?

I posted this elsewhere, but it really belongs here too. Yesterday afternoon I went with my daughters to a movie in Chicago. Prior to the movie, there was about a five minute NBA ad for the All Star game that prominently featured the Thunder and Kevin Durant. It showed highlights from various game, and included shots of the Thunder playing in the OKC arena. I would assume it's a trailer at many movie theatres around the country, so wondered if anyone in OKC had seen it.

OKC industrial vacancy rate decreases to under 8%! http://www.costar.com/News/Article/Market-Trend-Oklahoma-Citys-Industrial-Vacancy-Decreases-to-78/126568?src=rss

The most recent outrage in OKC is:
Attorney David Ogle, under felony bribery charges continues to "practice law"
and it shows that the bar association should suspend lawyers under felony charges.
OSCN.Net shows that his preliminary hearing is March 11 2011 on the felony bribery of a Police officer in a legal testimony in court.

From Facebook account (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mick-Cornett/118846680688)

Mayor Cornett to appear on CSPAN tomorrow (Thursday, Feb. 24) at 7:45 a.m. to discuss federal budget cuts, unemployment and other issues.

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/Mayorsan

(CSPAN) - "Mayor Mick Cornett and Mayor Anthony Foxx (Charlotte) talked about the impact of the economic downturn on their respective cities, Oklahoma City and Charlotte, North Carolina. Topics included the budget shortfalls their cities face and what is needed to increase employment in American cities."

The video is 45 minutes long, but if you follow the scrolling transcript marks, you can check out certain topics.

Let the arguments begin.

Interesting column in NY Times tonight: "From Oklahoma to Tobruk" by Roger Cohen. I can't figure out how to paste the link because I'm on my I-phone, but if you have the NYT app, it's one of the "most e-mailed." Basically this columnist was in an OKC mosque alongside Libyan exiles when the local FBI director was reassuring the congregation following the recent shariah law kerfuffle. I winced when Cohen brought up the law, but in the end it did highlight the diversity of OKC, and spotlighted a young local Palestinian lawyer. I would be willing to bet the average national reader of the Times was surprised to learn there is a mosque-ful of Libyans in OKC.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/25/opinion/25iht-edcohen25.html

Thanks Snowman!

This video may be the mayor's greatest if not the most visible or pretty of his prime time videos. So often in national videos he has been called (without contradiction by him) the "republican mayor of Oklahoma City." This circumstance was different ... and he stood shoulder by shoulder with all non-partisan mayors in a February 28 press conference of the US Conference of Mayors which opposed the House of Representative's decision to shelve the Community Development Block Grants (CDGB) and in its decision to carry that issue to the US Senate. I'm trying to capture the relevant parts and will report back shortly. But, short story ... the mayor wasn't being a republican partisan, the group wasn't being partisan, it was presenting a bi-partisan position by mayors about a program which is of central importance to USA cities. Given the tea party disposition of many in the republican party these days, it was not without some risk that he did that. Particularly since we have tea-partiers running for and who may be elected for city council TOMORROW.

Hats off, Mayor. You represented me, and our city, very well.

No you are not dreaming,,,,Okc featured on SmartGrowthAmerican.org, definitely not something you see everyday.

Here is more good press for Okc and Mayor Mick.

http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/2011/03/23/oklahoma-city-attracts-businesses-gets-healthy-with-smart-growth-principles/

Oklahoma City attracts businesses, gets healthy with smart growth principles
Posted on March 23, 2011 by Abigail Gardner

Oklahoma City Mayor Mark Cornett (R) is making his city more attractive to businesses, tackling a public health crisis and he’s using smart growth strategies to get it done. Cornett gained notoriety for tackling Oklahoma City’s obesity epidemic by changing the landscape of the city. After setting a goal in 2008 for the city to lose a million pounds, he passed a massive $777 million “Metropolitan Area Project” in 2009 that made jogging and biking trails, sidewalks and neighborhood parks a priority in downtown development....................................... ..........read more....................http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/2011/03/23/oklahoma-city-attracts-businesses-gets-healthy-with-smart-growth-principles/

Isn't Okc and Smart Growth an oxymoron? I know it once was, but maybe times are changing?

Also, I thought this thread was going to be a STICKY?

It's a nice article but I'm not sure the author entirely understands the latest MAPS concepts. It mentions that jogging and biking trails, sidewalks, and neighborhood parks are a priority in downtown development. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't remember anything in MAPS about neighborhood parks and the projects mentioned are more "city wide" than downtown centric. It mentions that "improved street design" has yielded impressive results. What improved street design is that refering to and what are the results? I know that Project 180 is remaking downtown streets but that has yet to yield much in the way of results and had nothing to do with MAPS.

Dont know if this has been mentioned anywhere yet!http://www.newsok.com/oklahoma-city-company-lands-another-defense-contract/article/3552079?custom_click=pod_headline_financial-news

OKC ranks sixth for The top 10 cities for minority entrepreneurs http://blogs.forbes.com/brettnelson/2011/03/23/best-cities-for-minority-entrepreneurs-2011/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ssu2ATfoG1A&feature=player_embedded#at=11

Nice CNN clip.

Very Nice Clip and exposure of the great place OKC really is and getting better!!

Wow. That is awesome!

From Friday's Washington Post, "The Impulsive Traveler: Oklahoma City, beyond the bombing..." http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/the-impulsive-traveler-oklahoma-city-beyond-the-bombing/2011/03/31/AFaH7a2C_story.html?hpid=z11

^^^ Not too sure this dude actually visited, or at least he didn't drive himself around town (directionally challenged). If he wanted to understand OKC history, he shoulda visited a few more places, like Stockyards, Overholser Mansion, the Capitol, etc. Maybe a visit with the mayor? No mention of MAPS, no mention of the Thunder, and certainly no mention of the relationship between the Bombing to the present i.e. the genesis for today's transformed/transforming city. Not a very comprehensive visit or article, I'd grade it a C-.

After my visit I was lucky enough to grab lunch at nearby Big Truck Tacos, a former lunch truck whose popularity has caused it to be permanently parked.

I know they have a building location, but when did the mobile unit become "permanently parked"?

^^^ Not too sure this dude actually visited, or at least he didn't drive himself around town (directionally challenged). If he wanted to understand OKC history, he shoulda visited a few more places, like Stockyards, Overholser Mansion, the Capitol, etc. Maybe a visit with the mayor? No mention of MAPS, no mention of the Thunder, and certainly no mention of the relationship between the Bombing to the present i.e. the genesis for today's transformed/transforming city. Not a very comprehensive visit or article, I'd grade it a C-.

I have no particular problem with the article. You can't expect a comprehensive story about OKC from a travel writer who is here for a short stay. That would take a book. It's just his impressions from a short visit and most of it was positive. 20 years ago no travel writer would even be coming here to write a story.

I know they have a building location, but when did the mobile unit become "permanently parked"?

It isn't permanently parked, and now there are 2 trucks that make visits to various locations throughout the metro.

This article was a waste of time and energy, mostly backhanded compliments and nothing of real value added.

very nice article and prospective.

OKC ranks #2 nationally for creation and development of small business:

http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/on-numbers/scott-thomas/2011/04/austin-tops-small-business-rankings.html

^^ Now that is some good press!

And Tulsa at #6 on the same list, nice job Oklahoma!

It isn't permanently parked, and now there are 2 trucks that make visits to various locations throughout the metro.

This article was a waste of time and energy, mostly backhanded compliments and nothing of real value added.

Au contraire, I thought most of the compliments were genuine. And anyone looking for a travel writer to only write completely positive comments aren't being realistic. The writers would lose credibility quickly. I actually think the article would encourage someone who has never thought about OKC to visit.

It's been over Four Month's since the last post on this thread and in all reality this could be a neverending thread that should be "Sticky" IMO!OKC makes two Forbes lists',One says OKC is in the top 6 in places to buy a house and the second say's OKC is a recession resistant city for real estate!http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44206485/ns/business-forbes_com/t/cities-where-real-estate-resisting-recession/

!!!! OMG they used a recent photo of our skyline! I'm shocked!

It's been over Four Month's since the last post on this thread and in all reality this could be a neverending thread that should be "Sticky" IMO!OKC makes two Forbes lists',One says OKC is in the top 6 in places to buy a house and the second say's OKC is a recession resistant city for real estate!http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44206485/ns/business-forbes_com/t/cities-where-real-estate-resisting-recession/

I find it interesting that they describe OKC as a "Midwestern hub". I know this has been discussed before but I would never consider OKC to be in the Midwest.

Surprised nobody picked up on these:

Thunder On The Great Plains: Once Written-Off Region Enjoying Remarkable Revival (http://www.forbes.com/sites/joelkotkin/2012/06/20/thunder-on-the-great-plains-once-written-off-region-enjoying-remarkable-revival/)

Number One Business Friendly City:

1. Oklahoma City: Great energy (http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2012/smallbusiness/1206/gallery.best-places-launch-cities/index.html)

:congrats:

Mayor Cornett has a new posting in the Huffington Post today... this is awesome because HuffPo has huuuuuge online readership!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mick-cornett/oklahoma-city-maps-economic-initiatives_b_1638228.html

The first few paragraphs:

While we see the national economic numbers like everyone else and understand the challenges facing many American cities, these are good days in Oklahoma City. We found a concept that works here: investing in ourselves.

The Oklahoma City Thunder reached the NBA Finals. We hosted Olympic kayaking trials on the Oklahoma River this spring. On any given weekend, the Bricktown entertainment district is packed with people who are dining, enjoying canal boat rides, taking in movies or attending a baseball game in our downtown ballpark. People passing through Oklahoma City on I-40 drive under the iconic Oklahoma City SkyDance Bridge sculpture and have a dynamic view of the state's largest building, the Devon Energy Center.

None of that existed 20 years ago. No NBA franchise or arena. No state's tallest building or downtown ballpark or movies. I-40 was several blocks north and crumbling. There wasn't an Olympic rowing/kayaking training center. Heck, there wasn't even a river.

What happened?

Twenty-five years ago, Oklahoma City was competing for businesses with a toolbox full of attractive financial incentives and we were coming up short. We asked for a candid appraisal from a notable business we didn't get and were told that our incentives were as good, or better, than the competition. They simply didn't think their employees would want to live here.

Naturally, this came as a shock to us. We knew we had great people. We had a low cost of living, good schools and were considered a great place to raise a family. But we lacked the quality-of-life amenities that separate good cities from great cities.

Oklahoma City decided to change that.

I read the entire article by Mayor Mick. It's a good piece, it was very well written and the last half was quite impressive/exciting to read.

One thing I really have to critique though: No mention of rail. Why? He mentioned everything else. I find that the majority of the city council just doesn't think about it, or prioritizes it as far to the bottom of the list as they can. For an article whose trajectory is to end on a point about attracting the young creative class, quite frankly I don't think he understands how they think. Rail gets a lot of people excited. It was the most popular write-in candidate project for MAPS 3. Everyone seems to be for it. Except the people in charge.

Maybe it was an honest oversight. Maybe it was a poker tell, an unintentional insight into how the council thinks. Or worse, maybe it was deliberate. Does the mayor and the council really understand the benefits of rail? It's hard to say.

I read the entire article by Mayor Mick. It's a good piece, it was very well written and the last half was quite impressive/exciting to read.

One thing I really have to critique though: No mention of rail. Why? He mentioned everything else. I find that the majority of the city council just doesn't think about it, or prioritizes it as far to the bottom of the list as they can. For an article whose trajectory is to end on a point about attracting the young creative class, quite frankly I don't think he understands how they think. Rail gets a lot of people excited. It was the most popular write-in candidate project for MAPS 3. Everyone seems to be for it. Except the people in charge.

Maybe it was an honest oversight. Maybe it was a poker tell, an unintentional insight into how the council thinks. Or worse, maybe it was deliberate. Does the mayor and the council really understand the benefits of rail? It's hard to say.

I don't think rail was overlooked in the article. He was detailing what we have accomplished not what we are hoping for in the future. Any city could say they hope to have rail options eventually. He was emphasizing how things are and how we go about improving our city.

http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-metro-area-tops-state-in-population-growth/article/3688726

I don't think rail was overlooked in the article. He was detailing what we have accomplished not what we are hoping for in the future. Any city could say they hope to have rail options eventually. He was emphasizing how things are and how we go about improving our city.

Actually the twelfth full paragraph details out what is yet to come in MAPS 3, so that is what I was referring to.

On second look he did mention "a modern streetcar." I guess that must be it, on first glance I was assuming it was more trolley updates.

I don't think rail was overlooked in the article. He was detailing what we have accomplished not what we are hoping for in the future. Any city could say they hope to have rail options eventually. He was emphasizing how things are and how we go about improving our city.

We HAVE paid for the streetcar, which is a big difference between us and most other cities. It was an omission, no way to over look that. How many Chamber talking points did he fit in? The bigger question is, why don't our Chamber talking points include the streetcar and commuter rail plans??

Anyway, my first thought was actually.. hmm, I wonder what publication this actually ran in first, because we know the Huff Post doesn't run any of its own stuff LOL.

From the article:

...The tax would have a start date and an end date and the projects would be paid for in cash, without incurring debt. ...

While that was the plan, bonds and other forms of indebtedness were authorized by the ordinance and there were several articles indicating that bond debt was going to have to be used to make up for multi-millions in funding shortfalls/cost over runs. One even stated that it wasn't just a proposal but Council had already approved it. Even with the 6 month "extension". those over runs far exceeded the amount raised in those 6 months. Have asked for it before but does anyone have any proof that no debt was incurred with MAPS? Other than the City saying they didn't? If long term bond debt was issued, we may still be paying it off.

We HAVE paid for the streetcar, which is a big difference between us and most other cities. It was an omission, no way to over look that. How many Chamber talking points did he fit in? The bigger question is, why don't our Chamber talking points include the streetcar and commuter rail plans??


Good question Spartan.... I would like to know the answer to that one as well. For all our OK right wing politicians' posturing about "fighting the special interests", they certainly find ways to put forth some organizations' talking points at every opportunity.....

Small steps, fighting the special interests they don't like

Reading articles like this make me happy to be in OKC:

http://www.greaterlouisville.com/PressReleases.aspx?id=6034&blogid=3922

Reading articles like this make me happy to be in OKC:

http://www.greaterlouisville.com/PressReleases.aspx?id=6034&blogid=3922

It's interesting that one of the things that article praises OKC for is it's "active lifestyle". I know we have made great strides in that area and maybe it's starting to pay off imagewise.

Another cool article:

http://www.elpasoinc.com/news/top_story/article_0f205fb6-ea42-11e1-94cd-001a4bcf6878.html

Another cool article:

http://www.elpasoinc.com/news/top_story/article_0f205fb6-ea42-11e1-94cd-001a4bcf6878.html

Good article. Its starting to become a common theme for OKC to be used as an example on how smaller cities lift themselves up.

Can someone find Del Reno on a map for me, not sure if I've ever heard of that ;)

Good article. Its starting to become a common theme for OKC to be used as an example on how smaller cities lift themselves up.

Can someone find Del Reno on a map for me, not sure if I've ever heard of that ;)

That's a very small suburb of El Reno. Maybe you should ask them if they ever heard of Del Paso, Texas.

Del Reno... Well, since it is a heavily Latino influenced community, i'm sure the editor read El Reno and decided it was wrong and corrected it to Del Reno.

I thought Del Reno was just a space saver way to talk about the Del Rancho in El Reno.
Then I 'membered thar warn't one.

OKC with the lowest unemployment rate in the U.S.:



Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Summary
For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Wednesday, August 29, 2012


Among the 49 metropolitan areas with a Census 2000 population of 1 million or more,
the highest unemployment rates in July were registered in Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev.,
and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif., 12.9 and 12.7 percent, respectively.
Five additional large areas posted rates of 10.0 percent or more. The lowest jobless
rate among the large areas was recorded in Oklahoma City, Okla., 4.8 percent. Forty-
two large areas reported over-the-year unemployment rate decreases, six registered
increases, and one had no change. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla., experienced
the largest unemployment rate decline from July 2011 (-1.9 percentage points).
Twenty-one other large areas reported rate decreases of at least 1.0 percentage
point. No large area recorded an over-the-year rate increase as large as 1.0
percentage point.

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/metro.nr0.htm

I thought Del Reno was just a space saver way to talk about the Del Rancho in El Reno.
Then I 'membered thar warn't one.

I thought that was a side street off of Reno through Del City...

Oklahoma City currently has the strongest economy in the U.S. among 102 largest metros! Oklahoma City had overall score of 91.04, Austin came in 2nd with a score of 85.86. After that, the gap is not even close! Good deal!

Oklahoma City leads heartland's sweep of Economic Index - The Business Journals (http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/on-numbers/scott-thomas/2012/09/oklahoma-city-leads-heartlands-sweep.html?appSession=961101078552370&RecordID=1&PageID=3&PrevPageID=2&cpipage=1&CPIsortType=&CPIorderBy=&cbCurrentRecordPosition=1)

*just wish they could use better/recent skyline photos of Oklahoma City, when they publish national articles like this....

Oklahoma City currently has the strongest economy in the U.S. among 102 largest metros! Oklahoma City had overall score of 91.04, Austin came in 2nd with a score of 85.86. After that, the gap is not even close! Good deal!

Oklahoma City leads heartland's sweep of Economic Index - The Business Journals (http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/on-numbers/scott-thomas/2012/09/oklahoma-city-leads-heartlands-sweep.html?appSession=961101078552370&RecordID=1&PageID=3&PrevPageID=2&cpipage=1&CPIsortType=&CPIorderBy=&cbCurrentRecordPosition=1)

*just wish they could use better/recent skyline photos of Oklahoma City, when they publish national articles like this.... While this is great news "on the surface" for OKC, especially if you are in the Energy Business, I wonder if they took into other accounts such as long term diversification? I have always stressed that OKC is "highly" dependent on the Oil and Gas business, which as we know, had dire consequences in the 80"s. If CHK ends up on the chopping block or all their assets are acquired, then it will be hard, tough times for OKC. I really think OKC "truly did not learn" their lessons from the 80"s. OKC needs more diversification to soften the blow if or when this current oil boom goes bust.

These are the 18 components of the formula:

1. Five-year change in private-sector employment.

2. One-year change in private-sector employment.

3. Long-term trend in private-sector employment.

4. Five-year change in unemployment rates.

5. Current unemployment rate.

6. Long-term trend in unemployment rates.

7. Five-year change in weekly earnings per private-sector worker.

8. One-year change in weekly earnings per private-sector worker.

9. Long-term trend in weekly earnings per private-sector worker.

10. Five-year change in construction-sector employment.

11. One-year change in construction-sector employment.

12. Long-term trend in construction-sector employment.

13. Five-year change in retail-sector employment.

14. One-year change in retail-sector employment.

15. Long-term trend in retail-sector employment.

16. Five-year change in house values. (House values are updated quarterly. All other factors are updated monthly.)

17. One-year change in house values.

18. Long-term trend in house values.

While this is great news "on the surface" for OKC, especially if you are in the Energy Business, I wonder if they took into other accounts such as long term diversification? I have always stressed that OKC is "highly" dependent on the Oil and Gas business, which as we know, had dire consequences in the 80"s. If CHK ends up on the chopping block or all their assets are acquired, then it will be hard, tough times for OKC. I really think OKC "truly did not learn" their lessons from the 80"s. OKC needs more diversification to soften the blow if or when this current oil boom goes bust.

I think OKC did learn that lesson and is actively seeking diversification in our economic base. The aviation sector is huge in the metro despite often being dismissed as mostly government jobs. We have a relatively small but growing bio-tech industry. We have one of the nation's best run regional banks in MidFirst located here as well. With the growth and continuation of lifestyle improvements in OKC, I think we will eventually see more diversification in the type of companies and industry located here. The city's leadership and Chamber have done a pretty good job so far and hopefully it will improve even more in the next few years.

We are extremely fortunate to have well run companies like Devon and Continental to offset some of the risk posed by less risk averse ones such as the McClendon era Chesapeake. For the sake of the people working at Chesapeake I hope they manage to get through these times.

Yes, the aerospace industry in Oklahoma City is growing, with Boeing relocating thousands of jobs here, and state policies being implemented to lure aerospace business, I think it could grow rapidly. It would be something if we had a major corporate relocation here by a major aerospace company. :sofa: