Task Force Reaches Agreement On Tulsa's Vision Tax Plan

Tulsa's Vision plan cleared up on Thursday, with the task force ready to put more money into public transit.

On what was the final day of negotiations, Tulsa City Councilor Blake Ewing made a new try to get money for transit. It was the cuts to a transformational plan for transit that drove much of the discussion Tuesday night.

But by Thursday, councilors were looking to restore at least part of the money.

The headline of the morning session of talks was that transit could get back maybe $60 million that was cut from the Vision package last Tuesday. It was the biggest point of contention among many cuts that were made.

Tulsa City Councilor Blake Ewing was back at the table with a new plan for transit, with money cut from the fire department, shifting dollars into transit. It won’t be the futuristic transit hub first envisioned, but better bus service and a new downtown station.

Councilor Anna America pushed back with her own plan, adding money for transit. But it won’t be the Center of the Universe hub that eventually would cost more than the BOK Center.

Ewing's proposal was opposed by Councilor Anna America who worried it was an uncertain direction for so many dollars.

"This isn't an anti-transit or anti-downtown," America said.

Four distinct plans were offered by different councilors, but after negotiations that lasted most of the day, the plans were combined in a way that moved money around in just a handful of categories, but mainly in dedicated money for transit.

"Dedicated funding is what makes the difference between levels of service, between an average system and a great system," Tulsa Transit's Bill Cartright said.

At 4:30 p.m., councilors reached agreement on the final framework, pushing the deadline dictated by the legal staff down to the last 90 minutes.

Veteran Councilor David Patrick led the meeting where the deal came together.

"And by far this has been the most challenging one I've ever seen, and I was on the original Vision 2025; it was simple compared to this," Patrick said.

The decision today will set the course for $886 million dollars over 15 years.

The council votes Thursday night to move the package to the ballot and voters will see it on the ballot April 5.

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