As unhappy as I am that we're going to be wasting money on all this ham, we can all rejoice that at least we don't have to hear anymore dam proposals anymore... There's undoubtedly some benefits coming from all this, despite the arguments about the timing within our current budget crises.
The timing is fine, as bond prices are so low for municipal bonds that it is almost free money (borrow cost anyway).
Overall, I'm happy it passed. It was designed to pass - set for an election with the lowest possible turn out (stupid Sheriff getting indicted and raising turnout) and enough slush money for about every organization to want it to pass even though they didn't like the package as a whole. Voters have consistently voted dam funding down, but combine it with enough special interests and you can get it to pass. Keep the turnout low enough and TPD/TFD can almost pass their own funding if just friends and family turned out 13k votes). This could have been on the primary ballot, or on the next primary in a couple of months... it was set for the lowest possible turnout.
I'm most excited about the list of pet projects. Gilcrease. Turkey. etc.
On the dams, I'm happy the Zink dam will be renovated. If it is half of what is advertised it will be an asset for 50 years. The Jenks dam I wouldn't pay a dime for, and I don't believe anything they said about the "economic development" that comes along with either dam. As stated above, we can stop talking about dams now.
The police and fire proposal is just a slush fund. Per capita and adjusted for inflation, their budget has tripled, but they always need more money to reach this elusive zone of public safety that never materializes. The Fire Department even had trouble articulating what they needed they money for. BUT - maybe now they will stop asking for MORE MORE MORE, and maybe perception of safety will go up. Which seems to be what really matters anyway.
Mass transit is a dream. If it delivers as advertised it could be a game changer.
The County Money is also just a slush fund as far as I can tell. I have no idea what they are going to use it for. But whatever.
If my choice was nothing passes or all passes, I'd want all to pass. I'm guilty of buying in to enough of the special interests (including Zink dam, Gilcrease, Turkey) to vote yes. Plus, in Oklahoma, I always fear that "low tax" will win no matter what. Even though this has some waste in it, it also has some good things.
The next fight will be for Riverparks land. When they get the shiny dams there will be a bunch of pressure to make them "pay for themselves" with economic development. In that most of the land is parkland, the argument will be that we need to give up some parkland to make it worthwhile. Riverparks West needs to go to be combined with the cement lot, there is plenty of land on the east bank that is park, we can give some up for development here and there. I wonder if they will develop the empty spaces they claimed were prime for development before making the play for parkland.
I'm always a cynic. But really, I'm glad it turned out the way it did.
