Voters OK 3 out of 5 bond issues

James Coburn
The Edmond Sun

EDMOND May 14, 2008 12:19 pm

— Oklahoma County voters went to the polls Tuesday to invest in the future of Tinker Air Force Base and the greater metropolitan area by approving a $55 million bond to purchase the former 3.8 million-square-foot General Motors plant for Tinker. The facility will be called the Tinker Aerospace Complex.
In addition, Deer Creek residents will be impacted by the passage of the $6 million natural hazard mitigation and flood relief bond. The $10.5 million Oklahoma County Courthouse Renovation bond also was favored by voters.
Voters turned down improving county record retention for $5.75 million, and the $7.25 million construction of a new facility at the Oklahoma County OSU Cooperative Extension Service.
Oklahoma County’s support of the bond could help preserve and protect Tinker as the leading economic development contributor to Oklahoma County’s economy, said Oklahoma County Commissioner Ray Vaughn.
“I’m very elated about the Tinker vote, also about the two county benefits,” Vaughn said. “The courthouse reconstruction and flooding mitigation, those are absolutely critical.”
He said the election results were a little tighter than he had expected, but a tight win has the same effect as a landslide. The Tinker Air Force Base initiative gained nearly 53 percent of voters’ approval.
Vaughn said he is disappointed that two bond issues failed, but said the overall election was successful when considering that voters in Cleveland, Tulsa and Canadian counties did not approve their projects Tuesday.
Oklahoma’s largest single-site employer with 27,000 workers, Tinker Air Force Base infuses the metro area with a $3.6 billion annual revenue. The average Tinker salary is $55,000 per person. More than 1,000 Tinker employees live in Edmond, said Janet Yowell, Edmond Economic Development Authority executive director.
This purchase of the former GM facility will create many new jobs with substantial capital investment, Yowell said. “This was definitely the best use for this facility.”
More than $3 million is put into communities like Edmond each year by residents working at Tinker Air Force Base, said Maj. Gen. Loren M. Reno, commander of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center at Tinker Air Force Base.
The 15-year general obligation bonds will be funded by an increase in ad valorem taxes. The GM ad valorem tax portion of the bond issues will be 82 cents a month on a $100,000 home.
The Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome of the bond election. Four of the five proposed bonds were endorsed by the Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce. The County Record Retention bond did not have the chamber’s endorsement.
“Oklahoma County voters have been asked to do a lot over the last little bit and they’ve always responded in a very positive way,” said Ken Moore, president and CEO of the Edmond chamber. “It suggests that Oklahoma City continues to move forward, concerned about the future of their economy, concerned about keeping Tinker Air Force Base here, providing quality job opportunities here.”
The flood control bond won nearly 57 percent of voters’ approval.
Vaughn said the federal government will invest $3 in FEMA grants for every $1 of county funds to assist with flooding prevention projects in Deer Creek and Crutcho, which is in east Oklahoma County. Firefighters have rescued 15 helpless Deer Creek motorists this year due to floods, said Deer Creek Fire Chief Doug MacWilliams.
The proposed ad valorem tax on a $100,000 house for the flood relief portion of the bond would cost homeowners 9 cents a month for 15 years. The county is planning a series of flood control and release water ways, which would include up to a 500-acre recreational lake.
“It will save a big headache not just for Oklahoma County residents but other residents who live north of Oklahoma County,” MacWilliams said.

jcoburn@edmondsun.com | 341-2121, ext. 114

vote totals
what you need to know

Following are the Oklahoma County vote results:
Proposition I — Tinker Air Force Base
Yes: 20,773 or 53.71 percent
No: 18,635 or 47.29 percent
Proposition II — Courthouse renovation
Yes: 20,167 or 51.83 percent
No: 18,744 or 48.17 percent
Proposition III — County record retention
Yes: 17-595 or 45.38 percent
No: 18,744 or 54.62 percent
Proposition IV — Oklahoma County Cooperative Extension Service
Yes: 17,678 or 45.43 percent
No: 21,159 or 54.57 percent
Proposition V — Natural hazard mitigation and flood relief
Yes: 22,061 or 56.97 percent
No: 16,661 or 43.03 percent
Total voter turnout in Oklahoma County: 10 percent
SOURCE: OKLAHOMA COUNTY
ELECTION BOARD