The Oklahoma City Council on Tuesday voted to approve the MAPS 4 Implementation Plan, which is the guiding document for the program scope, project scheduling and budgets.
MAPS 4 program consultant ADG developed the plan based on the 2019 MAPS 4 resolution, Finance Department sales tax projections, information from City staff and project advocates/operators, publicly available plans and data, as well as previous MAPS experience.
MAPS 4 includes 16 projects:
“The development of this MAPS 4 implementation plan has taken about the same amount of time as the MAPS 3 plan, and so above all I am grateful to everyone involved for keeping us on pace, even in the face of the challenging year and a half that we’ve experienced,” said Mayor David Holt. “I want to especially thank the MAPS 4 Citizens Advisory Board for its role in this process and its recommendation.
The program schedule is aggressive with almost all 16 projects moving forward within 15 months of plan adoption.
“Determining where in the schedule to place each project largely depends on operational capacity and availability of funds,” said MAPS Program Manager David E. Todd. “Because the sales taxes are collected over an eight-year period, the full $978 million is not available to start construction on every project right away. With careful planning and financial modeling, the program schedule presents a balanced approach with early movement on most projects.”
By March 2023, $110.5 million in operating/maintenance and capital improvement funds included in the program will be transferred to the MAPS 4 Investment and Operating Trust to allow ample time for the investment funds to grow.
“The operation and maintenance of all projects will ultimately become the responsibility of others,” said Todd. “The schedule provides time for some operators to accomplish necessary organizational growth and other preparations prior to the completion of construction. Other project operators will benefit from early phasing to avoid delays and secure events that support Oklahoma City economic activity.”
You can view the MAPS 4 Implementation Plan and the MAPS 4 Program Schedule at okc.gov/maps4.
About MAPS 4
MAPS 4 is a debt-free public improvement program funded by a temporary penny sales tax that will raise a projected $978 million over eight years.
Oklahoma City voters approved the sales tax to fund MAPS 4 in a special election on Dec. 10, 2019, moving forward with a unique and ambitious plan to transform our community. The temporary penny sales tax funding MAPS 4 began April 1, 2020, and ends in 2028.
More than 70 percent of MAPS 4 funding is dedicated to neighborhood and human needs. The rest is for quality of life and job-creating initiatives. The MAPS 4 Citizens Advisory Board and its six subcommittees will guide MAPS 4 planning and implementation, making recommendations to the City Council. The Council has final authority on MAPS 4. The MAPS Investment and Operating Trust will develop a strategic investment plan to support long-term sustainable funding for MAPS 4 projects' operational expenses and maintenance.
Visit okc.gov/maps4 for more.
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Media Contact - Kristy Yager, (405) 297-2550, kristy.yager@okc.gov