Maps IV

[tehvipir]

How about the citizens just have a decrease in taxes.... I like that!!!

[ABryant]

How about the citizens just have a decrease in taxes.... I like that!!!

That 1 cent on the dollar for tangible city improvements is about the only tax that I'm glad to pay.

[ljbab728]

How about the citizens just have a decrease in taxes.... I like that!!!

You could always just move out of any city limits on a farm and become totally self supporting. That would certainly reduce your tax liabilities and you wouldn't have to worry about paying those extra taxes or enjoying any benefits that the taxes might provide.

[warreng88]

I have been thinking a lot about this lately and I wonder what it will take for another MAPS to pass. My guess is the majority of the money would have to go to transit since that was what was so popular in the last questionaire, yet only got 17% of the funding whereas the convention center was the least popular and got 32% of the funding.

Let's do a nice round number of $1 billion over 10 years.
The public transit study said it would cost $125M for added rail lines, retrofitting the lines and Santa Fe station upgrades.
$200M to finish the convention center.
$100M for more and better buses and better technology for all transportation.
$175M for 7-9 miles of streetcar.
$125M for a 20-25,000 person outdoor stadium for soccer and smaller football games.
$275M for other things, (ie canal extension, more wellness centers, etc)

Then, since the GO bond issue will be coming due around the same time, devote almost another billion to infrastructure so people won't complain about roads not being included. This is where the police and firefighters could also be taken care of as well as updating of our current parks. Thoughts?

[OKCisOK4me]

I concur with that last thing I read about police & firefighters. Will definitely see more 'vote yes' signs if they're included.

[Plutonic Panda]

$900 Million for a new light rail (does that sound right?)

[jedicurt]

$900 Million for a new light rail (does that sound right?)

i'm right there with you... and i think 900 million would make a good start.

[MustangGT]

Until ALL Maps I, II, III projects are completed as promised I say the publics pocketbook slams shut. The powers that be have not fully delivered on past promises. I have zero faith they will deliver on future promises.

[HOT ROD]

delete the $200M for the convention center to bring Maps IV to $800M and I'm with that.

We could also ask the suburbs to contribute this time since/if they would get commuter rail; perhaps Edmond + Norman + MWC (and maybe Purcell + Guthrie + Shawnee to really cover the metro). As for the Commuter Rail operations, I'd say let ACOG do a regional tax increment to help fund it and regional bus.

[HOT ROD]

Until ALL Maps I, II, III projects are completed as promised I say the publics pocketbook slams shut. The powers that be have not fully delivered on past promises. I have zero faith they will deliver on future promises.

I disagree, OKC has to keep the momentum going. OKC is still FAR FAR behind peer cities and there still needs to be significant capital investment.

Get to MAPS V and then you could think about taking a break.

[progressiveboy]

Agree! The momentum needs to continue. OKC cannot afford to rest on it's laurels and become complacent. OKC did this for too many years. Continue the change! Hopefully the economy will continue to prosper for the next 5 years for OKC and keep OKC at a "sustained" growth.

[ljbab728]

Until ALL Maps I, II, III projects are completed as promised I say the publics pocketbook slams shut. The powers that be have not fully delivered on past promises. I have zero faith they will deliver on future promises.

I also agree with the naysayers about this comment. Even with it's flaws, OKC would still be right back where it was in 1990 without the MAPS projects. If that's what you want, feel free to vote no for everything in the future.

[betts]

I'm definitely satisfied with MAPS I. MAPS II is almost complete. The downtown elementary school is going to break ground very soon. MAPS 2.5 looks great and the planning for MAPS III is progressing pretty much as planned. I do think it's a shame that the sidewalks won't be as extensive as promised, and the senior centers are still looking for sponsors, but river improvements are due to start soon, we've got a very nice plan for the park, we hope to break ground on the streetcar next year. Everything is pretty much following the timeline. I'm very happy with what I've gotten for my penny and what I'm going to get over the next few years.

[BoulderSooner]

I'm definitely satisfied with MAPS I. MAPS II is almost complete. The downtown elementary school is going to break ground very soon. MAPS 2.5 looks great and the planning for MAPS III is progressing pretty much as planned. I do think it's a shame that the sidewalks won't be as extensive as promised, and the senior centers are still looking for sponsors, but river improvements are due to start soon, we've got a very nice plan for the park, we hope to break ground on the streetcar next year. Everything is pretty much following the timeline. I'm very happy with what I've gotten for my penny and what I'm going to get over the next few years.

just fyi the river improvement already started most of the course lights are installed and the wind screen will start soon (clearly neither will be a visible as the White water course)

[Grant]

I'm definitely satisfied with MAPS I. MAPS II is almost complete. The downtown elementary school is going to break ground very soon. MAPS 2.5 looks great and the planning for MAPS III is progressing pretty much as planned. I do think it's a shame that the sidewalks won't be as extensive as promised, and the senior centers are still looking for sponsors, but river improvements are due to start soon, we've got a very nice plan for the park, we hope to break ground on the streetcar next year. Everything is pretty much following the timeline. I'm very happy with what I've gotten for my penny and what I'm going to get over the next few years.

We've got a plan for the park, sure, but I don't think I'd call it a nice one by any stretch. Their design needs plenty of work.

[GaryOKC6]

I can remember Oklahhoma City before MAPS and I must it is a far better place now. I would vote yes again for all of them especially knowing how it has turned out. When i was in high school and college everyone always talked about where they would move when they graduated to get out of this place. Now people are moving here. We are the place people are moving to.

[betts]

We're never going to get everyone to agree on any plan for any MAPS project. The convention center site, streetcar route, park design, location of senior wellness centers, existence of the kayak course (I think it's ridiculous to drag kayakers to Oklahoma to train for the Olympics on a tiny course when they can't do any leisure time paddling here because we have no whitewater rivers. They're going to be miserable), etc. The bottom line is that so far, we've gotten a lot of very nice venues, buildings, improvements and so forth. If we want voters to continue to approve MAPS IV and higher, we've got to give them things that make them proud they live here and that improve our city's image with visitors and interested parties. But with each round there will be new people who are pleased with the results and people who voted for the projects who are disappointed.

[MustangGT]

Get to MAPS V and then you could think about taking a break.

Projects beyond MAPS III are nothing but a pipe dream at this point. NOBODY really has any clue what will be proposed. I say stop NOW. That is the only way to get politicians to pay attention. Momentum for momentums sake is the hogoblin of uninformed minds.

[ljbab728]

Projects beyond MAPS III are nothing but a pipe dream at this point. NOBODY really has any clue what will be proposed. I say stop NOW. That is the only way to get politicians to pay attention. Momentum for momentums sake is the hogoblin of uninformed minds.

OK, so we now know that you want to go back to 1990. The city will either have momentum or it will go backward says my uninformed mind.

[warreng88]

Projects beyond MAPS III are nothing but a pipe dream at this point. NOBODY really has any clue what will be proposed. I say stop NOW. That is the only way to get politicians to pay attention. Momentum for momentums sake is the hogoblin of uninformed minds.

I assume by stop now, you mean after MAPS3? If we do that, wait two years, then try to pitch a new MAPS, it really will be a tax increase and that is even harder to pass than saying your taxes won't go up.

[MustangGT]

I assume by stop now, you mean after MAPS3? If we do that, wait two years, then try to pitch a new MAPS, it really will be a tax increase and that is even harder to pass than saying your taxes won't go up.

Another MAPS vote is nothing more than a CONTINUATION OF A TAX INCREASE duh. I am for progress however holding prevaricating public official accountable first must be the priority. Talking about MAPS4 and beyond before MAPS 3 is complete is IMHO irresponsible and drinking the Mick Cornett koolaid.

[Praedura]

Another MAPS vote is nothing more than a CONTINUATION OF A TAX INCREASE duh. I am for progress however holding prevaricating public official accountable first must be the priority. Talking about MAPS4 and beyond before MAPS 3 is complete is IMHO irresponsible and drinking the Mick Cornett koolaid.

Talking is irresponsible?

[warreng88]

Another MAPS vote is nothing more than a CONTINUATION OF A TAX INCREASE duh. I am for progress however holding prevaricating public official accountable first must be the priority. Talking about MAPS4 and beyond before MAPS 3 is complete is IMHO irresponsible and drinking the Mick Cornett koolaid.

Maps for Kids was passed on 11/1/2001. It was for seven years raising close to $500 million dollars. On 3/4/2008, the Ford center renovation passed and it started on 1/1/2009 raising $103.5 million over 15 months. On 12/8/2009, Maps 3 passed with the tax starting on April 1, 2010, ending in December 2017. At the time the tax expires, there will have been 16 years of the same MAPS tax. I wouldn't exactly call that an increase.

Now, let me ask you this: Do you remember OKC before MAPS? Would you have preferred it to stay that way with little to no movement over the next 20 years or see it like it is now with officials "not fully delivering on past promises"? I understand some people be frustrated with things not being done for how much they promised, but I would rather them be done right for more money than done cheaply.

As for "drinking the Mick Cornett koolaid", hell yeah I am. He has done nothing but great things for this city and continues to be a great representative for our city.

[BoulderSooner]

Maps for Kids was passed on 11/1/2001. It was for seven years raising close to $500 million dollars. On 3/4/2008, the Ford center renovation passed and it started on 1/1/2009 raising $103.5 million over 15 months. On 12/8/2009, Maps 3 passed with the tax starting on April 1, 2010, ending in December 2017. At the time the tax expires, there will have been 16 years of the same MAPS tax. I wouldn't exactly call that an increase.

Now, let me ask you this: Do you remember OKC before MAPS? Would you have preferred it to stay that way with little to no movement over the next 20 years or see it like it is now with officials "not fully delivering on past promises"? I understand some people be frustrated with things not being done for how much they promised, but I would rather them be done right for more money than done cheaply.

As for "drinking the Mick Cornett koolaid", hell yeah I am. He has done nothing but great things for this city and continues to be a great representative for our city.

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[Harvey Hudson]

What about 300 million for a new Jail and relocating it out of downtown. It would be nice to remove the anchor of bad characters away from downtown and the newly renovated film row.