Lawsuit against the new Ballpark

[RecycleMichael]

The above story says that Kent Moreland is officed in the Beacon Building at 4th and Boulder. Those offices (and parking) are less than 300 yards from the new arena. They are half that distance from the new bus station that we other Tulsans paid for.

The Beacon Building looks to be eight stories tall. The new assessment is going to be $8,000. By looking at a floor plan, I am guessing that they average about 40 individual offices per floor (or more precisely 40 workers per floor). That works out to about two bucks per person per month.

I can see where he wants more service than he is getting currently. He lives and works downtown and has a right to ask for what he is paying for.

I (we) have been spending millions of dollars to fix up his neighborhood. My neighborhood hasn't been getting any of that money. I live in east Tulsa near Mingo creek. Our walking path isn't getting a new facelift...we have no park benches, no new street lights, etc. The only new government spending near my home is a new steel fab building for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife surrounded by chain link fence topped with barb wire.

Nobody wants to pay more in taxes. I understand. But asking the people who benefit the most too pay a little more than the rest of us doesn't seem unreasonable to me. All of us are spending over 200 million and the closest people are paying one million extra. That seems fair to me.

[BierGarten]

quote:Originally posted by rwarn17588

quote:Originally posted by booWorld

Originally posted by RecycleMichael

This brings up a question: Why are there such wide discrepancies between properties that are just a block or two apart?

Or is someone greatly exaggerating/lying about the impact of the new assessment district?

If it sucks that bad for Morlan (which I doubt), he can just sell the property and make a handsome profit. There will be plenty of prospective buyers.

I noticed that Michael Sanger's in full support of the ballpark plan. Sanger's a guy I greatly respect, and trust his judgment.

That is because "The Tulsa Stadium Improvement District will increase the assessment rate to 6.5 cents per square foot on land and structures for nearly all property owners."  

The rate is based off of not only square footage of the underlying real estate but also the square footage of structures.

[cannon_fodder]

Has anyone seen a copy of the petition?  

Lacking that, I really have no frame of reference for what they are protesting.  My guttural response was "deal with it" as it is an improvement to your neighborhood (I'd love to have that much improvement near me for the $72 a year it would cost me).  BUT, it appears his objections may be more deep rooted than that.

I can't form a very good opinion without really knowing what the suite is even about.

[BierGarten]

Well OSCN Tulsa County would be a lot cooler if actual court documents were available, but for everyone's reference so they can follow along with the status of the petition for declaratory action, the OSCN link to the suit is below.

OSCN Link to Suit Status

[RecycleMichael]

I see that he paid $217.30 to file the petition.

That is almost exactly three years of assessment for his condo.

[cannon_fodder]

You can get a copy of the petition at the Clerk's office.  I believe there is a $10 fee.  But sometimes one is sent to the media or the media gets one and publishes it.  Also, sometimes, when a public body is sued they post the petition somewhere.

Just curious if anyone had seen a copy.
- - -

[Juan Mad Okie]

quote:Originally posted by RecycleMichael


Do you really think that this is that much money? The total amount asked is only a million dollars a year. That is spread among hundreds of properties owners. Any amount paid for in this assesment tax will be offset by increased value of their property.

But its not a million a year, they have stated the new tax will being in 3.3 million a year... thats $99 million... $70+ million more than the the figure quoted... where is the extra money going?

[Gold]

Doesn't the extra money pay the interest?  They start building before they have the $30 million.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by AVERAGE JOE


Let's also not forget that Morlan wants to bid against DTU to provide those services inside the IDL.

That's an interesting revelation.  I'd not heard this about Kent Morlan.

I've been out of the loop the last week or so.  DTU outlived it's hoped-for purpose a long time ago.  It's a mystery to me how Jim Norton has managed to silently stay in that position as long as he has for as little return as downtown has gotten.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by Gold

Doesn't the extra money pay the interest?  They start building before they have the $30 million.

I thought only a little over half went to the ballpark, the rest to downtown maintenance that DTU does, but for everything inside the IDL.

[mrB]

quote:
from Tulsa World July 12, 2008

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080712_11_A11_hFivel41871

Of the 6.5 cents, 4.3 cents will help fund a proposed ballpark for the Tulsa Drillers that will be in the historic Greenwood District. The remaining 2.2 cents of the assessment will continue to fund current downtown services such as street sweeping and landscaping. The assessment will fund $25 million of the estimated $60 million ballpark project. When the debt of the baseball stadium is paid, the 4.3 cent assessment will be removed, leaving the 2.2 cents for the 30-year life of the district.

quote:
From UrbanTulsa JULY 2, 2008

http://www.urbantulsa.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A23756

If it's approved, downtown property would be assessed at 6.5 cents per square foot.

Federal facilities, churches and any property that qualifies for a homestead exemption would be exempt.

It would replace the current Downtown Improvement District when it expires June 30, 2009, and would expire in 30 years.

The current district was created in 1978, largely to fund Downtown Tulsa Unlimited, the private, non-profit group with which the city contracts for the upkeep and management of downtown.

If the new district is approved, about $1.1 million would go toward the services currently provided by DTU, except it might not be DTU providing the services.

[sgrizzle]

Thanks mrB!

[Rico]

An update of sorts on the lawsuit.....