MAPS 3 News Compendium

[Doug Loudenback]

I've started a collection of all Okc media reports concerning MAPS 3, largely because the Oklahoman has yet to begun doing any serious MAPS 3 reporting. Aside from an occasional observation, it attempts to put everything in a single place, pro, con or neutral articles.

I'm still backtracking to include September, but October is pretty complete. It includes audio MP3 files of the Chamber's luncheon on 10/21. I'll add summaries of the presentations later.

[Midtowner]

Doug, this city is lucky to have you as its unofficial chronicler... our modern-day Tacitus.

[SoonerDave]

Doug, this is the kind of activity from which a newspaper could be born.

The Oklahoman's black helicopters will be visting you shortly

[Doug Loudenback]

Doug, this city is lucky to have you as its unofficial chronicler... our modern-day Tacitus.

Nose doesn't work.

[Midtowner]

The resemblance is uncanny.

[Luke]

That was awesome.

[Doug Loudenback]

The 2nd Breaking Through luncheon was held today at the Petroleum Club, the principal speakers being Mary Margaret Jones of Hargreaves Associates and Mayor Cornett. A streaming video is available at Greater Oklahoma City Chamber - YES for MAPS - Breaking Through 10/29 and I'll be adding stuff about the event shortly. However, you might want to see the video now, at the just linked location.

[betts]

Here's Steve's article about the proposed park, based on information given at the meeting:

NewsOK

I'm pretty excited about the dog park concept. I was hoping we'd get one near downtown.

[Larry OKC]

be EXTREMELY patient with the video...the 1st 30 minutes is watching people eat...presentation begins at about the 31 min mark. The clip is over an hour long.

Something she stressed at the beginning of her presentation, this is STILL conceptual, none of the things are necessarily going to be as shown (if they end up being there at all). This goes back to the info Doug posted about it. It is just to give people an idea of what MIGHT be. They again implied that there would be lots of public input (where have we heard that before) AFTER the vote.


The new info/confirmation of what we had guessed from the renderings:

The underground parking has been eliminated as being to costly. They will look at parking at a later date. Neither seemed concerned. Said there was plenty of street parking surrounding the park.

Grand lawn will accommodate 15,000 (could have sworn it was supposed to be 50,000 but can't locate the 50,000 info now...think it was in the C2S report...so may have been mistaken)

Economic impact. In cities where they have done similar projects, Residential Values (surrounding the Park, which we don't currently have?) rose 6 to 10 times. Private development/investment increased 4 to 10 times.


Betts: I completely missed the dog park and the amphitheater(s). Guess I'll have to go back and rewatch it again.

[metro]

Here's Steve's article about the proposed park, based on information given at the meeting:

NewsOK

I'm pretty excited about the dog park concept. I was hoping we'd get one near downtown.

Remember, Myriad Gardens is also going to have a fenced in dog park as well, and obviously MUCH sooner than C2S park gets off the ground.

[Doug Loudenback]

The ripped sound files from yesterday's Breaking Through conference are now up and in Doug Dawgz Blog: All The News About MAPS 3. I've not yet written summaries and the slide show portions are not done. But it should now be easy enough to hear what the speakers had to say. Like in the 1st Breaking Through luncheon, they are broken into separate parts, speaker by speaker, so you can select what you want to listen to.

Also up is Steve's October 30 article covering the event. Just by itself, the fact that he was authorized to attend and report on the event is every bit a "breaking through," as well.

Hopefully, the article represents the 1st of many by front-line Oklahoman journalists on MAPS 3.

I've characterized the development as follows:

[Doug Loudenback]

A pair of articles appear in today's (11/3/2009) press ... see Doug Dawgz Blog: All The News About MAPS 3 ...

Journal Record by Brian Brus, "Coalition opposes MAPS 3."

The article notes that the committee generally favors MAPS 3 but that its members would oppose passage of MAPS 3 unless arrangements can be worked out to hire more Oklahoma City police and firefighters. The political committee wants the vote on MAPS 3 postponed so that its concerns can be addressed. The article reads:

OKLAHOMA CITY – The upcoming MAPS 3 tax issue election has drawn formal opposition with the filing of a political committee, Not This MAPS Coalition, with the Oklahoma City clerk’s office.

The group is opposing the $777 million, seven-year, penny sales tax issue mainly because of what the package of capital improvement projects doesn’t have: more emergency response personnel, said Phil Sipe, president-elect of the International Association of Firefighters Local 157 and chairman of the coalition. Not This Maps Coalition otherwise supports MAPS 3.

But if the issue is passed by voters Dec. 8, he said, the likelihood of securing additional funding to hire firefighters and police officers any time in the next several years severely decreases. So the group is trying to convince city leaders to postpone the question to allow for more consideration.

“We still hold out hope that we can come to some kind of last-minute resolution of the staffing issues that we have,” Sipe said. “So we’re not entirely resigned about running a campaign against it. We’re actually trying to work out a resolution so that they address staffing needs.”

The first MAPS, or Metropolitan Area Projects, was passed in 1993 and included projects such as construction of the Bricktown Ballpark, renovation of the Cox Business Services Convention Center and development of the Oklahoma River. The second issue in 2001, MAPS for Kids, focused on the Oklahoma City Public Schools District with new buildings and technology upgrades. ¶ If passed, MAPS 3 will provide for the creation of a 70-acre park downtown, a fixed-rail streetcar system and new convention center downtown, trails and sidewalks throughout the city, state fairgrounds improvements, wellness aquatic centers for senior citizens, and upgrades to facilities at the Oklahoma River at the heart of the metro area.

The anti-MAPS 3 group is countered by only one other formal filing with the clerk’s office: the Yes For MAPS Coalition, headed by Mayor Mick Cornett as chairman and former Mayors Kirk Humphreys and Ron Norick as co-treasurers. The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber is providing the main support for MAPS 3.

Keith Gaddie, a professor in the political science department at the University of Oklahoma, had predicted in an earlier interview with The Journal Record that a union-based opposition would be the biggest threat to MAPS 3. ¶ “People know cops, and people know firefighters. They trust them,” Gaddie said. “And even though unions are weak in Oklahoma, there are more union workers in Oklahoma City than in any other part of the state. So there’s potentially a lot of support there.”

The MAPS 3 opposition group maintains that the city doesn’t have enough police officers and firefighters, and personnel resources would be further stretched. The group’s vice chairman is Gil Hensley, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 123, who spoke out with Sipe against MAPS 3 at City Hall when the issue was first announced. ¶ Sipe said Not This MAPS Coalition wants the ballot changed to include emergency services funding. But Oklahoma County Election Board Secretary Doug Sanderson said that once the municipal government submitted its resolution, the text of the question was set. The change deadline was Oct. 8.

It is, however, possible to call off the election, Sanderson said. City officials could cancel the issue at any time up to the scheduled election date, although the investment in ballots and personnel would still have to be paid.

Sipe said his group is not trying to leverage MAPS 3 opposition for emergency workers’ pay increases. The firefighters union earlier this year said it was willing to give up raises this year if the city would hire more people or otherwise fill scheduling holes. Ultimately, arbitrators sided with the union and firefighters got their pay increased. ¶ “It’s never been about the money,” he said.

Meanwhile, in the Oklahoman, in its News Briefs column, a speech by the mayor is announced:

The Northwest Chamber is hosting a luncheon with Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett on Wednesday to discuss the MAPS 3 proposal up for a Dec. 8 vote from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Incredible Pizza in Warr Acres, 5833 NW Expressway. Cost is $10 for members and $15 for non-members. Call 789-1256 or email larissa@thenorthwestchamber.com

All the news that's fit to print.

[Larry OKC]

Doug, the Daily Planet bit had me ROFLMAO...Thanks!

"...Oklahoma County Election Board Secretary Doug Sanderson said that once the municipal government submitted its resolution, the text of the question was set. The change deadline was Oct. 8.

It is, however, possible to call off the election, Sanderson said. City officials could cancel the issue at any time up to the scheduled election date..."

Good info, I was under the impression that once the Ballot/Ordinance and election date was set, that there was no turning back from that point. The Change date has passed but they could still cancel (postpone) the election, fix the Ballot and Ordinance language to at least tie into the non-binding Intent resolution...then reset the election date.

Good to know they are dropping the price some for these events...

[benman]

Doug (or anyone else).. Is it pretty much set in stone that there will be an amphitheatre?
This is the first I have heard of it and Im really excited. A bunch of people will argue that we have the Zoo (which does have a lot of character) but it will be great to get a large new venue in the downtown area. The smaller venue amphitheatre is also an awesome idea, as there are tons of great bands that can only fill 1000 to 2000 people. I think these would be huge milestones in drawing some real quality live music to OKC (big and small)

[Doug Loudenback]

Based upon the comments made by Mary Margaret Jones at the Chamber's 10/29 luncheon, I take it as a given than nothing about the park is set in stone. I haven't prepared a summary yet, but listen to about the 1st 2 (of 30) minutes and she makes that pretty clear. However, the "great lawn" aspect of the general plan would seem to accommodate that type of thing.

[betts]

Doug (or anyone else).. Is it pretty much set in stone that there will be an amphitheatre?
This is the first I have heard of it and Im really excited. A bunch of people will argue that we have the Zoo (which does have a lot of character) but it will be great to get a large new venue in the downtown area. The smaller venue amphitheatre is also an awesome idea, as there are tons of great bands that can only fill 1000 to 2000 people. I think these would be huge milestones in drawing some real quality live music to OKC (big and small)

Agreed. This is another amenity that will help draw crowds downtown and help create the sense that the downtown park is for everyone.

[kevinpate]

Agreed. This is another amenity that will help draw crowds downtown and help create the sense that the downtown park is for everyone.

Unless it ends up with blah fencing, turnstiles, fugly ticketbooths & beerstands, quiet hours that kick in too early due to nearby residential, hmmm, that sounds a wee familar come to think on it.

[betts]

I don't know about the fencing and ticketbooths, but I do think if you live in an urban environment, you've eschewed the option to ask for early quiet hours.

[Patrick]

Attention Fire and Police Unions:
A "no" vote on MAPS 3 by you and your membership will equal a "no" vote by me on any future requests from you all for more tax funding and a "no" by me for any of your ancillary soliciting for support for your various assistance funds.

[Doug Loudenback]

The latest "Breaking News" and an additional primary new article on MAPS 3 was published today, this one by the Oklahoma Gazette and my "All the News" article has been updated accordingly. Here's a graphic showing the summary:



Links in the above graphic won't work here, it's just a picture. Links which will work appear below:

• Article at the Gazette's website: Click here
• More printable version of the article: Click here
• Gazette's July 22 article: Click here
• ACOG Study: Click here
• Core To Shore article discussing the ACOG study: Click here
• MTP website: Click here
• Article describing David Holt: Click here

[Doug Loudenback]

The latest addition to the Doug Dawgz Blog: All The News About MAPS 3 compendium relates to the flurry of articles (6) in today's 11/8/2009 Sunday Oklahoman. The individual pieces appear below ... the graphics contain no links ... they are just pictures ... but usable links follow the graphic images.

Link to the above Oklahoman article: http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49...09_11_08_1.jpg

Link to the above Oklahoman article: http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49...09_11_08_1.jpg
Website of those supporting MAPS 3: www.yesformaps.com
Website of those opposing MAPS 3: www.nomaps3.com

Link to above Oklahoman article: http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49...09_11_08_3.jpg
City's MAPS 3 summary website: City of Oklahoma City | Public Information & Marketing
Chamber's Yes For Maps website: Keep OKC Moving - Vote Yes for MAPS on December 8!

Link to above Oklahoman article: http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49...09_11_08_3.jpg
Oklahoma Constitution: OSCN Found Document:Subjects and titles - Revival or amendment by reference - Extent of invalidity
Fent v. State: OSCN Found Document:FENT v. STATE ex rel. OKLAHOMA CAPITOL IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY

Link to above Oklahoman article: http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49...09_11_08_3.jpg

Link to above Oklahoman article: http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49...09_11_08_3.jpg

It presently appears that the Oklahoman's journalistic coverage of MAPS 3 will continue to be seriously flawed and will present nothing but Kool-Aid, only presenting what is copacetic with the viewpoints of the Oklahoman's owners and chief executives, and trashing the time-and-history honored role of a free press and independent journalism.

That fact may well be depressing for serious journalists employed by the Oklahoman who have most assuredly been trained and steeped in the idealistic role they serve in our common US and Oklahoma history. The fact is also a travesty for you and me since the primary news source in our community for what, more than 100 years, presently exposes itself as not being willing to present objective news and analysis, but only Kool-Aid articles about MAPS 3 which are in lock-step with MAPS 3 proponents. By taking that approach, and by dishonoring even its own employees some of whom have received their training at facilities named after the Gaylord family at the University of Oklahoma, the Oklahoman is dishonoring its own valued place and heritage within our city.

I don't at all mean to say that E.K. Gaylord was a prince or that his son was, either. I do mean to say that they were newspapermen and that, notwithstanding their own editorial positions and as strongly stated as they could sometimes be, they did not impress a Gestapo boot on their paper's news reporting personnel, regardless of their own editorial opinion. The Gaylords knew that the Oklahoman was, when all was said and done, a newspaper.

Times have changed and this is a dark time for the Oklahoman being a newspaper which even cares about thorough, objective, reporting, and that's very sad. The way that the Oklahoman is conducting itself also presents a solid case for some other news source taking its place in our city.

We deserve better. Oklahoman reporters deserve better. And, so does the Oklahoman, if it cares a twit about its 100+year heritage.

[blangtang]

here's to holding out hope that the tulsa world covers the Maps proposal better than the local fishwrap

[kevinpate]

I know it was not intentional on your part Doug, but if I were firmly in opposition to MAPs3, I'd absotively, posilutely have to go acquire or make me a KOOL-Aid Costume and wear it to every MAPs3 related gathering I could get to, maybe even have a small army of KOOL-AID costumed folks to march on city hall, each with a Please Don't Drink sticker hanging off the handle.

LMAO at the thought of 1,000 Kool-Aid costumes in various colors marching on city hall.

You're spot on, but I truly appreciate the merriment suddenly generated by your frustration, and mine, at the paper being a mouthpiece and not being a paper.

[Doug Loudenback]

Now, that would be a hoot ... maybe they could be joined by the Flaming Lips' 1,000 skeleton guys & gals ...

My frustration with the Oklahoman isn't sudden, even if the merriment that you observe may be. I'd call it sarcasm, though, since it doesn't make me feel merry at all.

ON EDIT: I provided incorrect links, above, for the last three 11/8 Oklahoman articles. The correct link for Article 4, Article 5, and Article 6 is http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a49...09_11_08_2.jpg, they all appearing on the same page.

[andy157]

I have read the "Ballot won't detail individual projects" article a dozen times. I have read it numurious times in hopes of reaching a different conclusion. However, I can't. I still come away with the same underlying message. Which is.

If it is the City's intent, that one single tax be used to fund multiple purposes, and the ballot actually states that intent by listing each of those multiple purposes in a "all or nothing" format, as it did in MAPS 1 and 2, that is an illegal act.

However, it is legal to use one single tax, to fund multiple purposes, in a "all or nothing" format as long as the ballot does not actually list those multiple purposes. So, the City can make an illegal act become a legal act, by simply omitting their actual intent from the wording on the ballot.

City attorney Kenny Jordan admitted the City had other options. The ballot could have listed each individual project as long as a separate vote was required for each project.

However, the Mayor and the City Council decided against the legal multiple purpose, separate vote format since City voters were not accustomed to that type of system. As luck, and an ommission of intent loophole would have it, so as not to confuse stupid City voters with a complicated ballot which they are not accustomed to, the City was able to use the illegal "all or nothing" system format. Thanks Mayor.