Tinker AFB

[Karried]

Oklahoma County Commissioners will ask voters to approve a $55 million bond issue to acquire a shuttered General Motors plant.

NewsOK

[Pete]

It still amazes me that that plant completely shut down and there has been hardly a blip on the overall OKC economy.

I know part of that is due to the current state of the oil & gas industry but still... Pretty amazing if you think about it and a testament to the diversification and size of the market.

[Bob&Frank&Ted&Bob&Alice]

I hope you don't mind if I ask a couple of questions.

1. Why in the hell would we want to buy that?

2. Since you live in California why do you care?

3. Aren't there anymore places in California to fix up?

[jbrown84]

You are talking to the owner of this site. I would watch your snarky comments.

[MikeLucky]

I hope you don't mind if I ask a couple of questions.

1. Why in the hell would we want to buy that?

2. Since you live in California why do you care?

3. Aren't there anymore places in California to fix up?

why are you acting like a doosh? Pete doesn't need to be questioned about his devotion and/or contribution to the OKC community, especially by a troll.

[Bob&Frank&Ted&Bob&Alice]

I apologize profusely if you misinterpreted what I wrote.
I'm sure some man who owns this site is perfectly able
to read my questions, understand what I wrote, and answer
some perfectly legitimate questions. I'm a little sick of the word
snarky. It ranks right up there with awesome.

[Bob&Frank&Ted&Bob&Alice]

Did you call me a doosh?

[jbrown84]

How about "assy" then?

[MikeLucky]

Did you call me a doosh?

learn how to quote troll.... and if you read what I wrote I obviously did not call you a doosh..... but you are acting like one.....

My guess is you are a red-a$$ed Pacific Northwesterner, but I have always been one for conspiracy theories......

[Dustbowl]

Serious questions need to be considered about this bond issue. I'm not saying I'm against it, just need many questions answered.

Here a just a few:

Why do we need to be involved if Tinker is already doing OK with the buildings it has? Tinker always rates near the top in efficiency, etc.

I believe and know that the municipal bond market is VERY tight right now. That means higher costs than Mr Vaughn might imagine.

I know there will be many more, getting ready for vacation.

[TStheThird]

Bob&...

Do you live in Tulsa?

If not, do you plan to move to Tulsa? When?

Can we help you pack?

[Pete]

I hope you don't mind if I ask a couple of questions.

1. Why in the hell would we want to buy that?

2. Since you live in California why do you care?

3. Aren't there anymore places in California to fix up?

Either find something constructive to contribute to this site or your posting privileges will be revoked.

Differences of opinion are welcome but those here just to cause problems are not.

[solitude]

I, maybe even against the TOS, called you out as a troll after you had only 18 posts. Your comments to one of the good posters on this board had to be removed they were so over-the-top. This latest post of yours is just another attack.

[AFCM]

Back on topic: I fully support the measure for Tinker to aquire the old GM plant.

There are some out there who are unaware of how critical Tinker is to the OKC economy. Tinker brings about $2.79 Billion to the local economy every year! Tinker is also the largest single-site employer in the state of Oklahoma, employing close to 30,000 people, not including the 20,000+ contractors who do business with DOD in some form or fashion. That's a lot of jobs. When GM left, less than 2,000 lost their job. Imagine what would happen if Tinker left.

Others may also be unaware of what's happening at the DOD level. Smaller bases are dying out and their missions are going with them. These missions are being moved and consolidated at larger 'super bases'. Tinker is only going to get larger and OKC is going to benefit if this vote passes. These smaller cities are learning the effects of losing DOD dollars. We need to ensure Tinker stays and gets stronger. Other cities' loss will be our gain.

We need Tinker to become one of those 'super bases'. I'm telling you, in the next 20-30 years, we're going to witness the military consolidate a lot of its resources. The cities with DOD presence are going to thrive! If you voted YES on March 4th, this is a no-brainer.

[Patrick]

Why do we have to pay to purchase the GM plant? Why can't tinker just purchase the plant as their own. I'm not sure I support using tax dollars to lease the GM plant to Tinker. This is no different than Bass Pro.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

Why do we have to pay to purchase the GM plant? Why can't tinker just purchase the plant as their own.

This is the part I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around as well.

Unless the powers that be at Tinker have some back-room bargaining going on because the BIG brass is telling them they can't have the $$$ from the AF to purchase it themselves.

No idear

[okclee]

I am not sure what abandoned car plants cost these days , but 55 million seems a bit much.

I am all for the city, the state, or TAFB doing something with the building.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

I am not sure what abandoned car plants cost these days , but 55 million seems a bit much.

I am all for the city, the state, or TAFB doing something with the building.

Didn't GM build a BILLION dollar paint facility there just a couple of years ago?

[flintysooner]

It's all ironic in a way. As I recall GM was enticed to build the plant in part by promises of certain tax exemptions and incentives. But a lawsuit was filed and the incentives were found to be unconstitutional. That turned out to be very embarrassing for Oklahoma efforts to secure future business. In fact I recall being reminded of it as late as 1994 in Chicago at a meeting with several bankers who remembered it very clearly.

I don't recall the exact numbers and these may be wrong. But I think the original plant was something on the order $400 Million or so which was a lot in 1974. I know a major remodel was completed in 2001 at nearly a $ Billion.

[bornhere]

The county plans to lease about two-thirds of the building to Tinker and lease the remaining third to the 'private sector.'

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

The county plans to lease about two-thirds of the building to Tinker and lease the remaining third to the 'private sector.'

Yeah, that's me. I'm going to use the space for my aglet collection.

[AFCM]

From what I've read, the AF will lease the building. I don't know how that would work. Why not just purchase the entire building and move on?

[okctvnewsguy]

We have done a couple of stories on this, and Im pretty confident that the city already owns the land under the GM plant.

[bornhere]

The state owns it. That's part of an E. L. Gaylord-era project where dozens of businesses were put on state-owned land so they wouldn't have to pay property taxes. It turned into a pretty big scandal at the time.

[Kerry]

The country collects just under $900,000 per year in property tax from GM. Now Tinker wants Oklahoma County to buy the building which will cause the county to lose that $900,000 per year. Over the 15 years of the bonds this is $18.5 million. It seems to me that spending $55 million to lose $18.5 million isn't a smart move. That would have to be one heck of a lease to cover the loss and exposure.

I still don't see why the federal government with an annual budget of $3.1 trillion can't buy the building. Plus, it isn't like Tinker is going to leave town over it so what is the worst that can happen under the status quo; the county continues to collect nearly a million per year from GM. Here is a new slogan - "No Taxes for Government Trillionaires".