Height minimums needed downtown

[okcpulse]

Well, I know where Chesapeake is. It is right off of Western Avenue, just north of Grand Boulevard. Now I don't care much for corporate office parks, but Chesapeake has built a very elegant complex with tons of landscaping. It definitely adds to the scenery along Oklahoma City's upscale avenue.

[Midtowner]

Midtowner, I've also read that somewhere. I was stunned when I heard it. It seems like at $8 a car per day, with very little maintenance required on the building itself, the garage would be making tons of profits. I'm left feeling clueless. Where on earth is the money going? I won't say for sure, because I don't know the inside worknigs of COTPA, but something doesn't seem right.

COTPA is not responsible with their funds in any way, shape, or form. I've heard a lot regarding their uses of funds from my friend. Let's just say that payroll is out of control. There are many, many, many unnecessary employees that get paid too well. Also, upper management gets plenty of "fringe benefits" if you know what I mean.

I just can't even begin to imagine how one could lose money on a parking garage that is consistantly full -- especially being able to consistantly do that over the last 30 or so years that at least the Santa Fe Garage (and I'm sure others) have been open.

If we started managing our government like a business, it's very likely that these parking garages could be used as "cash cows" to subsidize other areas of the city's public transportation mission that don't make money like the rubber tire trolley system.

There needs to be a serious inquiry into COTPA's mismanagement of the public's assetts. They operate like most county/city organizations did back in the 70's. You know that nice new parking garage being built on Hudson and McGhee? The land for it was "donated" by OG&E. In return for their land "donation", OG&E is being allotted the free use of about 60-70% of that parking garage. So, essentially what has happened is we've built a parking garage for OG&E completely at the taxpayer's expense. If COTPA can't make a parking garage profitable with 100% of the spots filled and being charged for, how the heck can we expect them to be able to do that with 30-40% of the spots in a garage?

I guess they figure they can get away with this nearly criminal behavior forever. I guess parking garage financial scandals don't really have much success in piquing the public's interest....