Third-penny proposal
Here is a link to a 19-page PDF file with the list of "third-penny" projects approved by the City Council on Thursday for a May 9th election.
$71 million of the package consists of incomplete projects from the 2001 third-penny. Of the $385 million in new projects, here are some interesting figures that give you a sense of the priorities of the outgoing City Council:
$41 million for culture and recreation, including new and expanded parks facilities that will require more money from the first two pennies for operation. That amount also includes $2 million for convention center renovations, something we were told that the $183 million in Vision 2025 funds for the arena and convention center was going to pay for. That $2 million replaces money shifted to the arena to pay for the "iconic" glass wall.
$32 million for police equipment and facilities -- a helicopter, police cars, and a new police lab and property room.
$24,150,000 for downtown projects, spread out among various categories. That doesn't count five downtown street projects out of 22 in the "arterial streets -- major rehabilitation" category. The capital project inventory in the 2005-6 budget (p. 34, item 108) lists downtown street and sidewalk improvements at $9.2 million, so let's use that number in the absence of a project-by-project breakdown in the third-penny plan. That makes $33,350,000 for downtown compared to $32,000,000 for the police department.
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i'll stand by medlock's critics in a lot of areas, but not in the one where he wanted the 3rd penny not to be voted on or finalized till after the elections.
no matter how many plans or new visions any of the mayoral candidates may have, it's going to be difficult now to put any of that in to place, w/out somehow getting more money -- for law enforcement or the river, or whatever else they may want to do -- out of a magic hat, the sky, etc.
Our esteemed Mayor has successfully turned me into an "aginner." I ain't votin' for new taxation 'til I see some real change.
Even though I'd like to see the police department get the goodies, it seems like they're being held hostage. Vote for downtown, parks and recreation, or the police department gets it.
if the third penny vote fails they will bring it back for another election soon, just like the arena. at that point, they new taylor/lafortune/rug rat administration should listen to the councel and the public and get things right.
i am voting no on this
Our 26-year old "temporary" Third Penny sales tax is as temporary as DEATH. And taxes.
It is NOT an accident that the local power structure stage-managed the Third Penny Sales Tax renewal Special Election until AFTER the city primary and general elections.
Reason being: To increase their odds of gulling the voters into voting for its renewal, and also conserving their resources and manpower to finish off the Reformers during the March City Primaries and April General Elections (they'll still hope to knock-off Mautino next month).
Then, immediately turn around after the April General Election re-elects one of either ABSOLUTELY safe candidates (Mayor Misfortunate or Kathy Savage-Taylor) to keep our sales tax gravy flowing so a select few can keep building on their ample fortunes.
Now, we see that the Sales Tax Renewal is growing to a 6.5 year tax, from a 5 year "temporary" tax.
By May, Tulsans will have voted in four separate elections in FIVE months.
It will cost the city another $100,000 to have a "Special" election for the Third Penny, when they could have oh-so easily have placed it on the ballot in next month's General Election.
But, for some reason the local power structure just doesn't like us voting on taxes during a general election. I wonder why???
Hmmmmmh......
the third penny was only meant to be a temp. tax back in 1980, now it gets renewed like it was nothing, we must say no to taxes VOTE NO ON THIS TAX, VOTE NO ON THE 3RD PENNY