MAPS 3 proposal...if you're listening Mayor and Coucil

[lasomeday]

Yeah, I think in theory a convention center would be great. I am just not sold on the idea. I don't like where they want to put it and I feel there are better ideas to spend our money on for MAPS 3.

[Spartan]

Don't forget the jail and the canal.

To hell with the jail.

[metro]

Spartan, you do realize we'll get a jail whether we like it or not? And if the Feds step in, it's going to cost MUCH more? Now, I definitely do not advocate it being in MAPS 3, and it won't be seeing that it's a county issue, not city.

[Steve]

I wonder how much money could be saved by the county if the sheriff quit duplicating urban law enforcement.

[Spartan]

Exactly. I know that the push for County Home Rule is dead without Jim Roth, the only guy who ever supported it, but the County really needs to step aside and just not exist anymore. It's not as if other cities aren't doing it, most notably, Indianapolis and Louisville, which have consolidated city-county government. OKC would be its own county, Edmond would be its own county, and there would be no duplication of city limits and county.

What's more is that the County has been in legal trouble for holding on to some inmates and refusing to turn them over to the State Pen. There is a reason why the Oklahoma County Jail is disproportionately huge compared to the Tulsa County Jail. Oklahoma County does NOT need a jail that is three times the size of the State Pen. That is just insanity. The only jail expansion we need is an additional dungeon to throw every single Oklahoma County politician in, especially Sheriff Whetsel.

I understand that the Feds are putting us in a tight situation, but the answer isn't the easy fix of a new jail. This is years of corruption and inefficient government coming to a head, and it's time to address THAT! On one end of downtown you have City Hall, the headquarters for a very transparent, popular, and responsive government, and on the other end of downtown you have the County Offices, the headquarters for a very corrupt, unresponsive, and unpopular government. We don't need a duplication of government in OKC, so it's one or the other, and the County gets my vote. To hell with the jail, Whetsel, and anything else to do with the County.

[hoya]

What's more is that the County has been in legal trouble for holding on to some inmates and refusing to turn them over to the State Pen. There is a reason why the Oklahoma County Jail is disproportionately huge compared to the Tulsa County Jail. Oklahoma County does NOT need a jail that is three times the size of the State Pen.

That is not what has happened at all.

There is an issue of prison overcrowding, which has led to the Department of Corrections not picking up inmates after they're sentenced. The county wants to get rid of those guys as fast as they can, but DOC has to come get them. I don't know what you're referring to by "the State Pen". There's not one prison where everyone goes. The Oklahoma County jail is much bigger than many prisons, but it's smaller than others.

[urbanity]

Will OKC?s decreased revenue change MAPS 3?s final blueprint? | OKG Scene.com

[Doug Loudenback]

I haven't seen this posted here but I apologize if it has been. This Gazette article doesn't present a rosy picture: Will OKC?s decreased revenue change MAPS 3?s final blueprint? | OKG Scene.com
Pete White, in my opinion, is a sensible guy and he has the balls to put tough questions on the table. I hope that the info will not affect the Ford Center project. The Gazette's software apparently prevents copying, at least I was unable to do so.

I did a screen capture to get the 1st part of the article:



ON EDIT: urbanity, we posted at the same time, but you beat me!