1 week Ago
I am flabbergasted by the Tulsa World's non-endorsement of State Question 833, allowing the formation of public infrastructure districts by Oklahoma cities ( "Endorsement: Vote yes on SQ 834 and no on SQ 833," Nov. 1). I could comprehend the newspaper's position if the Tulsa World were anti-economic development, but the reasoning that the Editorial Board members didn't understand the meaning of public infrastructure is baffling.
SQ 833's main purpose is as an economic development tool, providing a new source for funding public infrastructure. The only sources currently available to fund public infrastructure are through general obligation bonds, revenue bonds or tax increment financing districts. People are also reading.
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Those are private improvements. Any projects funded by a PID must be for public infrastructure and accessible for use by the public. The Tulsa World asserted that there are no controls on these districts.
The language in the measure unequivocally stated that municipalities possess the right to approve or deny the formation of the PID and impose whatever limitations they deem necessary. There is a cap of 10 millage points. This is an important economic development tool that can help communities throughout Oklahoma prosper and grow.
Editor's Note: Voters defeated SQ 833 on Nov. 5 by 897,752 to 559,360, or by 61.1% of the votes cast.
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