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OKC Council Meeting Notes: May 30, 2017

Post Date:05/31/2017 9:28 AM

The Oklahoma City Council meets at 8:30 a.m. Tuesdays on the third floor of City Hall, 200 N Walker Ave. Live broadcasts are available on Cox Channel 20 and YouTube. A recording of each meeting is then added to the City's YouTube channel. Check out the meeting calendar for agendas and schedules.

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Event permits

The Council approved permits Tuesday for:

Perry Publishing and Broadcasting Company's "Juneteenth Festival," June 17.
Freedom Oklahoma's "Equality Run," June 17.
Quail Creek Homeowners Association's "The Creek Run," June 3.
Red Earth's "Red Earth Parade," June 9.

View all permitted public events on the special event calendar.

Sales tax initiatives, bond proposals introduced; Proposed vote is Sept. 12

More than $1.1 billion in funding for streets, police, firefighters and other basic needs and an annual injection of $26 million for day-to-day operations are included in sales tax and bond proposals under consideration by the Council. The proposals, which are subject to voter approval, represent an opportunity for Oklahoma City residents to build a safer and better community through critical investments in their future without raising sales tax and property tax rates. There are three basic components: a permanent ¼ cent sales tax and temporary ¾ cent sales tax to replace the expiring MAPS 3 sales tax, and a general obligation bond package to succeed the almost-complete 2007 bond program. The Council set a public hearing on the proposals for June 13, with a Council vote June 20. Pending approval by the Council, a vote for all Oklahoma City voters would follow on Sept. 12.

Read a full news release.
Download and watch the presentation.
Read the bond project bond agenda item, download the bond project list and read the GOLT bond agenda item.
For the proposed temporary 3/4 cent sales tax, read agenda items for the ordinance, authorization to proclaim an election, election proclamation, election board notification and resolution of Council intent.
For the proposed permanent 1/4 cent sales tax, read agenda items for the ordinance, authorization to proclaim an election, election proclamation, election board notification and resolution of Council intent.

Sign up for updates about the 2017 Bond and Sales Tax Election.

Contract awarded for MAPS 3 Park construction

The Council voted to award a $57.6 million contract to Downey Construction to build the 40-acre north section of the MAPS 3 Park. The north section of the park, which will stretch south from the future Oklahoma City Boulevard downtown to the Skydance Bridge at Interstate 40, will have a lake, sports facilities, walking paths and more. The north section is scheduled to be complete in 2019, with the 30-acre south section following in 2021. A ribbon cutting for the north section is set for June 29.

Read the agenda item.
Download and watch the presentation.

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Oklahoma City's May sales tax summary

The May sales tax report shows General Fund collections in Oklahoma City were up 2.6 percent compared to the same month last year, above the monthly projection by 3.2 percent. The May report includes collections for the last half of March and estimated collections in the first half of April, which total about $18.4 million for the General Fund. That’s around $576,000 above the projection. May is the 11th month of the fiscal year, and General Fund sales tax revenue is about 0.8 percent (about $1.6 million) below the amended year-to-date projection. The May report snaps a streak of 12 straight months of declining sales tax revenue compared to the same month the previous year. General Fund sales tax revenue has declined compared to the same month the previous year in 18 of the last 20 months. The General Fund pays for the City’s day-to-day operations. Sales tax is the City’s largest single source of revenue.

Read a full news release.
Download the report.

Oklahoma City Zoo admission fees go up

The Council voted to approve a $3 rise in the price of single-day admission to the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden, and a $20 increase to the annual family pass. The new single-day rates are $11 for adults, $8 for children ages 3 to 11 and $8 for seniors, and the new annual family pass is $90. Daily admission prices had increased only $2 in the previous 20 years before Tuesday's vote.