Oklahoma City Government Briefs April 28, 2003

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), Apr 28, 2003 by Janice Francis-Smith

As city leaders in Indianapolis face the closure of a huge United Airlines maintenance facility, Oklahoma City leaders last week pointed out that "they could have been us." Oklahoma City tried to secure the same $1 billion maintenance facility in 1991, but lost out to Indianapolis.

United Airlines officials told the city that quality of life caused them to choose Indianapolis over OKC. That particular criticism helped to spark the MAPS plan, and the rest, as they say, is history. The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce expressed its thankfulness for unanswered prayers.

Friendly foes

After years of sibling rivalry, it appears Oklahoma City and Tulsa are finally ready to embrace one another as sisters.

The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce and the Tulsa Metro Chamber met at the beginning of the month to discuss joint issues of concern regarding business and economic development. The two chambers have worked together in the past on right to work, a $1 billion road program, workers compensation reforms and improving public schools.

The chambers' meeting was followed by the first-ever joint legislative reception earlier this month at Cole's Garden in Oklahoma City. Gov. Brad Henry and members of the state House and Senate joined business leaders from both cities at the reception. Some of the issues discussed included improvement and maintenance of the state highway system, tax incentives for businesses, local control over public schools, and the proposed state lottery.

Oklahoma City and Tulsa leaders are together planning a trip to Washington, D.C., to lobby Congress on a number of high-priority projects, including Medicaid funding for the state.

Around the county

Oklahoma County government officials hosted a Senior Summit at the Clarion Convention Center in Oklahoma City, part of a continued effort by county officials to reach out to the community and get citizens more involved in government.

The three issues participating citizens identified as their highest priorities are property taxes, programs to deliver meals to seniors, and centralization of services and information for the aging (with a live person answering the phone).

Taxes, lawsuits and Bass Pro

On May 13, voters will decide whether or not Oklahoma County Sheriff John Whetsel gets his own 0.4-cent sales tax. The tax, which would be permanent, is estimated to generate between $30 million and $35 million a year.

Oklahoma City Mayor Kirk Humphreys and members of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber have formed a group called "Citizens for Responsible Taxation" which has launched a campaign in opposition to the sheriff's proposed tax. The mayor called the proposed tax, "too loose, too large and too long." Humphreys said there may be other options available to solve the sheriff's budget problems.

Under no circumstances is "Citizens for Responsible Taxation" to be confused with "Taxpayers for Honest Government," the group headed Moshe Tal in opposition to the Bass Pro Shops development deal. Last week, Tulsa attorney Chad Richardson joined Tal's team in their battle to recover tax money spent on Bass Pro. Most recently, Richardson worked on his father Gary Richardson's gubernatorial campaign.

Lots of lawsuits are in the works. Tal Technologies is suing Bricktown developer Dan Randolph "Randy" Hogan, and Moshe Tal is personally suing City Councilman Guy Liebmann. The Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority is suing the city - good-naturedly - in order to bring the facts of the Bass Pro deal before a judge, who it is hoped will dismiss the suit.

Before the City Council

At the Oklahoma City Council meeting on Tuesday, the council will consider an ordinance proposed by Liebmann, Ward 8, to limit exterior building materials to brick, stone, stucco, cement stucco, or fiber- cement board.

The Urban Development Committee, a subcommittee of the Oklahoma City Planning Commission, has recommended against passing the ordinance, and the full Planning Commission forwarded the ordinance on to the council with no recommendation.

The council is also scheduled to consider a resolution requesting Gov. Henry to designate the City of Oklahoma City as in independent Workforce Investment Area under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, withdrawing the city from the Central Oklahoma Workforce Investment Area.

City staff reports that as an independent Workforce Investment Area, the city would no longer have to rely on the performance of other cities to receive incentive funds, thereby gaining more control over the city's ability to earn performance-related funding through the program.

Speaking of development

On May 7, the second annual Oklahoma City Mayor's Development Round Table will meet at the Cox Business Services Convention Center. Real estate developers, home builders, architects, engineers, commercial Realtors, bankers and city planners and others involved in community building are invited to attend.

Registration begins at 7:45 a.m., and the mayor's luncheon speech begins at 12:05 p.m. Sessions will be conducted by various city department heads, developers, lawyers and architects. The $35 registration fee includes materials, all five sessions and lunch. Call 948-7174 for more information.