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Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Proposition 13, Fire Safety Bond Issue (September 2017)
| Proposition 13: Oklahoma City Fire Bond Issue |
|---|
|
| The basics |
| Election date: |
| September 12, 2017 |
| Status: |
 Approved
|
| Topic: |
| City bonds |
| Related articles |
| City bonds on the ballot September 12, 2017 ballot measures in Oklahoma Oklahoma County, Oklahoma ballot measures |
| See also |
| Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
A bond issue proposition to fund improvements of fire department facilities, Proposition 13, was on the ballot for Oklahoma City voters in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, on September 12, 2017. It was approved.
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of increasing the city's debt by $45 million by issuing general obligation bonds in that amount to fund the improvement of fire department facilities. |
| A no vote was a vote against increasing the city's debt by $45 million by issuing general obligation bonds in that amount to fund the improvement of fire department facilities. |
The exact amount of the proposed bond was $45,350,000. The proposition required the bonds to be repaid within 25 years.[1][2]
Election results
| Proposition 13 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Yes | 30,074 | 71.45% | ||
| No | 12,016 | 28.55% | ||
- Election results from Oklahoma State Election Board
Overview
The bond package
Proposition 13 was part of a 13-proposition bond package totalling $967 million in proposed new debt added to the September 2017 ballot by a vote of the Oklahoma City Council.
Projects to be funded by Proposition 13
Funds from the bond were dedicated to building a new police and fire training facility ($23.8 million), new fire stations (17.1 million), and specialized facilities for public safety equipment. The specific projects planned for the bond revenue from Poposition 13 are below:[3]
Text of measure
Ballot question
The following is the ballot proposition language:[1]
| “ |
Shall The City of Oklahoma City, State of Oklahoma, incur an indebtedness by issuing registered bonds in the sum of Forty-Five Million Three Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($45,350,000) to provide funds for the purposes of constructing a new Fire Training Center, to be a part of a new combined Police-Fire Training Center, constructing new fire stations, and for the repair, renovation, remodeling, replacement, improvement, furnishing and equipping of Fire Department facilities, to include technology improvement, to be owned exclusively by said City, to be completed with or without the use of other funds, and levy and collect an annual tax, in addition to all other taxes, upon all the taxable property in said City sufficient to pay the interest on said bonds as it falls due, and also to constitute a sinking fund for the payment of the principal thereof when due, said bonds to bear interest at a rate not to exceed ten percent (10%) per annum, payable semi-annually, and to become due serially within twenty-five years from their date?[4] |
” |
Background
The 2017 bond package followed an $835.5 million bond package that was approved by voters in 2007. The 2007 bonds funded projects to improve streets, bridges, traffic control, drainage, parks, fire, police, libraries, maintenance facilities, transit, and economic development. In particular, voters approved a bond of $15 million to fund fire services, which was used for the renovation or construction of five fire stations.[5][3]
Going into the September 2017 election, about 14 percent of property taxes in Oklahoma City were allocated to paying for bonds. As of June 30, 2017, the city carried $738,110,000 in outstanding general obligation bond debt. This bond package was designed to be issued over a 10 year period, resulting in an average total tax rate of 16 mills, which had been the average since the 1980s. This bond package was estimated to result in $514.5 million in interest on the $967 million in bonds.[6][2]
Path to the ballot
Proposition 13 was part of a 13-proposition bond package totalling $967 million in proposed new debt added to the September 2017 ballot by a vote of the Oklahoma City Council. The measure was originally proposed on May 30, 2017, with a public hearing on June 13, 2017. On June 20, 2017, the city council voted unanimously to place the measure on the ballot for the election on September 12, 2017.[7][8]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Oklahoma City fire bond issue Proposition 13. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
- Oklahoma County Elections Office website
- City of OKC: 2017 Bond Election website
- Oklahoma City Bond Program 2017 presentation
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 City of Oklahoma City, "September 12, 2017, Special Election Sample Ballot," accessed August 16, 2017
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 City of Oklahoma City, "Bond Package," accessed August 16, 2017
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 City of Oklahoma City, "Fire," accessed August 23, 2017
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ City of Oklahoma City, "Oklahoma City Bond Program 2017," accessed August 23, 2017
- ↑ Personal communication between staff writer and City of Oklahoma City staff member, information from the City of Oklahoma City Finance Department, August 29, 2017
- ↑ City of Oklahoma City, "OKC Council Meeting Notes: June 20, 2017," June 20, 2017
- ↑ Oklahoma City City Council, "Journal of Council Proceedings," accessed August 23, 2017
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