Mayoral Election 2018

[TheTravellers]

Currently OKC's Sales Tax for operations and maintenance is at a rate of 2.875% distributed as:
2 cents for the General Fund (all departments): hasn't been increased since 1976
3/4 cents for public safety
1/8 cent for the zoo

One additional cent (for a total tax rate of 3.875%) is reserved for capital improvements through the MAPS program. Shadid proposes to do the following with this one cent when MAPS3 expires in December:
1/4 cent goes away (bringing the total sales tax in OKC to 3.6% since it was 3.875% and 0.25% is being removed)
1/4 cent is added on a permanent basis to the 3/4 cent public safety tax for the sole purpose of hiring police/fire personnel
1/2 cent goes to the General Fund on a temporary 2-4 year basis which represents an effective 25% increase in the budget of every department in the City. This reverses the 10% across the board cuts over a one year period and allows an increase in city services in virtually every neighborhood in the city.

That contradicts what the newsok.com article says, which is this:

"Shadid's proposal includes renewing the MAPS 3 sales tax at half the current 1-cent rate, with a term of two to four years.

Of the remaining half-cent, he would devote a quarter-cent to a tax cut and dedicate a quarter-cent to hire more police officers and firefighters."

Which is correct, newsok.com or you?

[Midtowner]

I'd actually be okay with using the MAPS tax to upgrade police equipment and facilities.

Not to hire people. Any tax which is raised for payroll purposes must be a permanent tax. But go up on that permanent sales tax and you kill the ability of this city to build these truly transformative MAPS projects.

[TheTravellers]

I'd actually be okay with using the MAPS tax to upgrade police equipment and facilities.

Not to hire people. Any tax which is raised for payroll purposes must be a permanent tax. But go up on that permanent sales tax and you kill the ability of this city to build these truly transformative MAPS projects.

Yes, absolutely - one-time expenses should be what MAPS does, and yes, it has to walk a very fine line, since we have all the other financial problems in this state. Nasty little jigsaw puzzle we have going on over the state budget, city and state collections, MAPS, cuts, etc.

[TU 'cane]

Cornett is truly an extraordinary ambassador: http://m.newsok.com/we-cant-look-at-...7?rotator=true

[Teo9969]

That contradicts what the newsok.com article says, which is this:

"Shadid's proposal includes renewing the MAPS 3 sales tax at half the current 1-cent rate, with a term of two to four years.

Of the remaining half-cent, he would devote a quarter-cent to a tax cut and dedicate a quarter-cent to hire more police officers and firefighters."

Which is correct, newsok.com or you?

OkieDave is correct on any proposal Shadid has made, of that I can 1,000% assure you. NewsOK, misunderstood.

[Teo9969]

I actually think that Shadid's proposal is incredibly wise.

Of the 1% MAPS "surcharge", we lower the sales tax to 0.25% (always popular), we keep 0.25% permanently for Public Safety, and then I think you give the other 0.5% to the city through 2023/24 (his timeline is a bit short to me).

What this does is give way to an easier passage of a 1% RTA tax, which we really should be voting on in the next 5 years anyway. If the sales tax is "artificially low" then it makes adding a 1% tax seem more reasonable.

There might even be a way to structure it such that we enact the 1% sales tax as a permanent tax, but with a 5-year quarter-percent discount + five-years of half-percent general fund allocation followed by a new vote in 5 years for a permanent change in allocation (preferably toward transit).

[Spartan]

This election is looking incredibly terrifying. I would gladly take a 5th term for Cornett over any of these options. Ed Shadid seems to be the best choice of the options. It will probably be the chamber guy.

[betts]

I'm supporting David Holt. He is experienced, moderate and thinks like Cornett. I trust him to keep the city progressing. My biggest problem with Shadid is that he is unwilling to compromise and better at talking than creating a coalition.

[Hutch]

Of the 1% MAPS "surcharge", we lower the sales tax to 0.25% (always popular), we keep 0.25% permanently for Public Safety, and then I think you give the other 0.5% to the city through 2023/24 (his timeline is a bit short to me).

What this does is give way to an easier passage of a 1% RTA tax, which we really should be voting on in the next 5 years anyway. If the sales tax is "artificially low" then it makes adding a 1% tax seem more reasonable.

There might even be a way to structure it such that we enact the 1% sales tax as a permanent tax, but with a 5-year quarter-percent discount + five-years of half-percent general fund allocation followed by a new vote in 5 years for a permanent change in allocation (preferably toward transit).

It's great to see this level of analytical thinking taking place outside of official transit planning discussions. It shows that many in our community now have a good understanding of what it's going to take to fund a comprehensive transit system for the OKC metro area.

There are several certainties. One...based on current planning, it will require a 1/2-cent to 3/4-cent sales tax to adequately fund development and operations of a regional transit system. Two...the sales tax will need to be permanent. Three...it will require a significant educational and marketing effort for approval. And four...timing and success of any vote will require strategic coordination and decision-making among all of the municipalities involved because they all have various temporary sales tax initiatives in place...OKC MAPS (1-cent)...Norman Forward (1/2-cent), Edmond Infrastructure (1/2-cent)...Moore Parks and Recreation (1/4-cent).

As OKC will be the largest municipality in the future regional transit district and since the MAPS tax is the largest of the various municipal temporary sales taxes in place, the decisions on how it is applied (extended, reduced, reassigned or eliminated) in the future will play a critical role in the timing and success of any future vote for a dedicated transit system funding source.

[gnomeok]

Would REALLY like to see a Libertarian candidate join the race along with other state/county offices now that we are officially recognized. Hopefully we don't blow this opportunity.

[shawnw]

This is a mayoral thread and the mayor position in OKC is officially non-partisan. A libertarian candidate can and could always run for mayor.

[Midtowner]

Would REALLY like to see a Libertarian candidate join the race along with other state/county offices now that we are officially recognized. Hopefully we don't blow this opportunity.

We kind of had that I think when we had whatshisface from Taco Bell run.

[bradh]

We kind of had that I think when we had whatshisface from Taco Bell run.

Steve Hunt?

[Midtowner]

Steve Hunt?

I prefer whatshisface.

[OKCRT]

Vote No, unless you want more cops out there writing tickets. I will pass on that. Even though I haven't had a ticket in a long long time I see plenty of cops out there writing them and hiding behind concrete dividers. I think the tax money could be put to better use.

[Bellaboo]

Vote No, unless you want more cops out there writing tickets. I will pass on that. Even though I haven't had a ticket in a long long time I see plenty of cops out there writing them and hiding behind concrete dividers. I think the tax money could be put to better use.

Go the speed limit and a person doesn't have to worry about hiding cops. Slow down and be safe.

[Zuplar]

Vote No, unless you want more cops out there writing tickets. I will pass on that. Even though I haven't had a ticket in a long long time I see plenty of cops out there writing them and hiding behind concrete dividers. I think the tax money could be put to better use.

lol.

Make a statement like that to the next cop you run into.

[Midtowner]

What was this thread supposed to be about?

Some WAY TOO EARLY discussion of the upcoming mayoral race, apparently. It really wouldn't be a productive thing if people on the council started balkanizing a year out from the mayoral election. The city council needs to be focused on the day-to-day and keeping the promises its made to the people. Yeah, in some cases, those are different promises and different people, but I wish they'd just focus on the issues at hand.

In OKC, the mayoral election really isn't even that big of a deal. We're voting for the city's head cheerleader, not necessarily a real policy maker. It's kind of shaping up like most elections though, isn't it? One one side, you have the always losing faction of police/fire. Then you have the "true conservatives" and then we have the Chamber of Commerce selection who always seems to win.

If someone wanted to be mayor, the smart money is to become the Chamber's choice, which creates a clear path to victory. Running some bat**** evangelical candidacy or one built to primarily benefit the police and fire unions isn't going to work--or at least it never has.

[jerrywall]

Some WAY TOO EARLY discussion of the upcoming mayoral race, apparently. It really wouldn't be a productive thing if people on the council started balkanizing a year out from the mayoral election. The city council needs to be focused on the day-to-day and keeping the promises its made to the people. Yeah, in some cases, those are different promises and different people, but I wish they'd just focus on the issues at hand.

In OKC, the mayoral election really isn't even that big of a deal. We're voting for the city's head cheerleader, not necessarily a real policy maker. It's kind of shaping up like most elections though, isn't it? One one side, you have the always losing faction of police/fire. Then you have the "true conservatives" and then we have the Chamber of Commerce selection who always seems to win.

If someone wanted to be mayor, the smart money is to become the Chamber's choice, which creates a clear path to victory. Running some bat**** evangelical candidacy or one built to primarily benefit the police and fire unions isn't going to work--or at least it never has.

Really, isn't the council at large and the city manager much more influential than the mayor?

[LakeEffect]

Really, isn't the council at large and the city manager much more influential than the mayor?

Depends on how you define influential...? The City Manager has much more impact on people's daily lives. The Mayor has the greatest mouthpiece to either tout the City, especially nationally.

The Mayor could be a policy leader if that's how the Mayor wants to be. Policy comes from the policy proposals put on their meeting agenda. If the Mayor was really zealous and productive, the person could constantly propose policy updates/changes/formation. It is what you make it.

When it's a (relatively) low-paid, "part-time" position, you are only going to get so much out of the person, unless he or she is independently wealthy.

[Pete]

I deleted a bunch of posts that were way off topic ( and a little weird).

[LocoAko]

Yes please.

I think he'd have a good shot of getting it.

Is this what I think it is???

https://twitter.com/MickCornett/stat...59209143885824

Edited to add: Yep. https://twitter.com/MickCornett/stat...60217345560576

Maybe this deserves its own thread now that it's official?

[Zuplar]

Is this what I think it is???

https://twitter.com/MickCornett/stat...59209143885824

Edited to add: Yep. https://twitter.com/MickCornett/stat...60217345560576

Maybe this deserves its own thread now that it's official?

Yes and Yes. Time to start telling everyone I know to vote Cornett.

[catch22]

Governor Cornett, I like the sound of that.

[gopokes88]

With the endorsements Holt is picking up, I think he cruises to victory.