Vision 2025...Part 2?

[Townsend]

I wanna divert the river away from tulsa because it is so toxic, fill in the bed and put in lots and lots of surface parking.  highway/weekend racetrack

[Gaspar]

I wanna divert the river away from tulsa because it is so toxic, fill in the bed and put in lots and lots of surface parking.

At the Keystone dam we should use the turbine system to mix Swiss Miss (with the little marshmallows) into the water and install large geothermal heaters to heat it up so that we can have the worlds first River of Hot Coco run through Tulsa.  We should then rename the city to Wonka land and plant some candy trees.

We need to get an estimate for the environmental study first.

[Townsend]

At the Keystone dam we should use the turbine system to mix Swiss Miss (with the little marshmallows) into the water and install large geothermal heaters to heat it up so that we can have the worlds first River of Hot Coco run through Tulsa.  We should then rename the city to Wonka land and plant some candy trees.

We need to get an estimate for the environmental study first.

No go...least terns.

Good thinking though.

[Gaspar]

No go...least terns.

Good thinking though.

Those are delicious.  Better than quail.  Serve with a Peruvian Mole sauce made from Tulsa River Coco.

[Red Arrow]

At the Keystone dam we should use the turbine system to mix Swiss Miss (with the little marshmallows) into the water and install large geothermal heaters to heat it up so that we can have the worlds first River of Hot Coco run through Tulsa.  We should then rename the city to Wonka land and plant some candy trees.

We need to get an estimate for the environmental study first.

We need a grant for the estimate......

[Vision 2025]

I seriously doubt that a county wide vote to increase taxes will be successful anytime in the near future. This is even harder to sell since our last streets package keeps the V2025 tax rate going after it expires.

You are confused a bit, The City of Tulsa increased the sales tax rate within the City of Tulsa by 2/12ths of a penny on a date which coinsides with the end of the current 4 to Fix sales tax not the .6% which is for Vision 2025. 

[Townsend]

Vision 2025 idea offered to fund airport complex improvements

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=334&articleid=20120612_11_A1_Thelat990812

The latest idea being floated to fund millions of dollars in airport industrial complex improvements is a full-blown Tulsa County Vision 2025 Part Two tax package, multiple sources have told the Tulsa World.

The package, which could appear on the Nov. 6 ballot, also would have money for other projects, possibly including low-water dams in the Arkansas River and the OKPOP Museum in the Brady District, among others.

Even though the current 0.6 cent Vision 2025 sales tax doesn't expire until Dec. 31, 2016, an advance funding mechanism could be used to begin Part Two projects right away, if approved by voters.

This appears to be a potential consensus reached by city, county, Tulsa Metro Chamber and area leaders who have been meeting privately about the various airport industrial complex funding ideas on the table, sources said.

It allays two fears that have been expressed about other ideas in that it would not raise the tax rate and it would not tie up a future Vision 2025 effort solely for airport-related improvements.

The package likely would include the $254.4 million figure cited for the airport industrial complex that would, in part, benefit American Airlines and other tenants through facility upgrades.

It also would have $75 million for a "deal-closing fund" that conceivably would be overseen by a new county authority to offer incentives to businesses that locate or grow in the region.

What else it would contain remains to be seen. A projects list might be culled from the enVision Summit, which was held in April and sponsored by the chamber and County Commission.

County Commissioner Karen Keith declined to talk specifically about a possible Vision 2025 extension, saying discussions are ongoing about the best way to raise funds to maintain and attract jobs in the aviation maintenance industry.

"We are still trying to figure out the best option to save those jobs," Keith said. "Absolutely no decision has been made."

County Commissioner Fred Perry, meanwhile, said he doesn't think a consensus exists regarding a possible tax extension.

"There are multiple options out there," Perry said, "And I am still looking at A, whether to do anything at all, and B, if we do anything, what is the best option."

County Commissioner John Smaligo said his focus continues to be on creating jobs without increasing taxes.

Smaligo said he has not made up his mind about a Vision 2025 extension that would include new projects.

Mayor Dewey Bartlett and Council Chairman G.T. Bynum both declined to comment about the latest proposal.

Tulsa Metro Chamber CEO Mike Neal said, "There are so many ideas floating around right now; I have no idea what to comment on."

A full-fledged Vision 2025 Part Two is the fourth idea to surface.

Regional leaders began meeting months ago in the wake of American Airlines' bankruptcy to think of ways to preserve local jobs.

The conversation evolved into keeping the airport industrial complex facilities maintained and marketable, regardless of who occupies them.

Chamber officials originally pitched the possibility of a 0.4 cent sales-tax increase to fund airport-related improvements and a "deal-closing fund."

As an alternative, Smaligo suggested a limited extension of Vision 2025 so there would be no net tax-rate increase.

In response, Bynum and Councilor Blake Ewing offered for consideration a $90 million proposal involving the county's using a 0.167 cent sales-tax share, which the city is now collecting, for airport improvements.

Their proposal did not include a "deal-closing fund" provision. Bynum and Ewing have said they are against that idea.

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=334&articleid=20120612_11_A1_Thelat990812

[AquaMan]

I am very skeptical of the "deal closing fund". I doubt if its effective. It seems like bribe money to me.

[sgrizzle]

I am very skeptical of the "deal closing fund". I doubt if its effective. It seems like bribe money to me.

Supposedly the money is only to be used for infrastructure improvements and not direct subsidies, but they want to keep it unassigned as they don't know what kinds of road/water/sewer an incoming business might need.

I'm weary as well, but just wanted to spell it out.

I'm more concerned that they may slap together a V2025 Mark 2 without all the time and consideration put into the last one. Anyone who has been here more than a few years knows what happens to rushed infrastructure improvement programs:

River Tax
The Tulsa Project
Tulsa's Time
etc.

[Conan71]

If they are gunning for Nov. 6, it will be another pile like the '07 river tax and will go down in flames.

Lesson apparently has not been learned.

[Townsend]

If they are gunning for Nov. 6, it will be another pile like the '07 river tax and will go down in flames.

Lesson apparently has not been learned.

Agreed.  They need to sneak this one in there quietly.  A secret September vote or something.

[Conan71]

Agreed.  They need to sneak this one in there quietly.  A secret September vote or something.

And robo call those not on "the list" that the vote has been moved to Sunday.

[Jeff P]

I third the sentiment above.

I'm already disappointed in how this was rolled out/leaked/floated.

This just totally smacks of the way the river vote thing was handled, where most of the general public was confused about what they were or were not voting for. 

Getting Vision 2025 extended or Part 2 or whatever should be a slam dunk.  It's been a smashing success in about any way you can measure it.  If this second phase is clearly communicated and it has a solid/well-thought-out plan, it would pass easily.

If there is a muttled message about "extending" versus "part two" and other talk of starting things before the current tax is done, then I project confusion and failure.

I just hope that cooler/smarter heads prevail and they do this the right way to maintain our momentum.

[Teatownclown]

Where are all the TNF tax haters?

[Townsend]

I just hope that cooler/smarter heads prevail and they do this the right way to maintain our momentum.

No sweat.  "Tulsa County, where cooler/smarter heads prevail and they do this the right way to maintain our momentum."  TULSA COUNTY!!!