Updated Vision List Reflects $160M In Spending Cuts

The latest version of the project list for the Vision program contains $861 million in spending, and a backup list of projects that would get the first funding should more money become available.

The new list reflects $160 million in cuts made at a sometimes contentious meeting Tuesday night that lasted five hours.

At Tuesday’s meeting, differences over funding came out between task force members, with some project beneficiaries complaining the cuts being made would jeopardize larger projects and pledges of matching funds.

1/26/2016 Related Story: Tulsa Councilors Make More Changes In Heated Vision Meeting

The new list trims funding for the Zoo by $5 million, for Gilcrease by $4 million, and trims $10 million from work at the Mohawk Sports Complex. They are among 12 projects that would be first in line should additional funding become available.

The new list was approved as the working draft that will be reconsidered at a meeting Thursday night at City Hall.

The City Council and Mayor comprise the 10-member Vision Task Force in charge of settling on the list of projects.

It was a cooling off day for Tulsa's Vision Task Force after a contentious meeting the night before.

Wednesday’s session ran for five hours, pushed by a deadline to balance the list of projects to make it to the ballot.

And it's not over, the draft list might not be Thursday’s final list and talks are still underway over some slight changes.

Tuesday night, big changes were made and almost everyone had to compromise.

It is the final stretch of the ultimate council marathon.

After two years of meetings, the Vision Plan decisions are down to winners and losers and cuts to public transit led to this outburst.

“It got cut in half today... I have the floor so you don't expect us to sit it,” Tulsa City Councilor Blake Ewing said.

Ewing objected to public transit going from $60 million to $25 million on the list.

“That got completely screwed today by whatever random happy group of clowns who were cutting projects when other people weren't in the room,” Ewing said.

That exchange was the exception, but there were many points of disagreement

“It just seems like the zoo got hit a lot harder than the others,” city councilor David Patrick said.

The task force cut funding for a dozen projects, mainly to save money for streets.

“I'm happy with where we got; it was a tough process that's for sure,” city councilor Phil Lakin said. “We knew this day was coming for some tough decisions.”

Lakin says it's possible public transit could get more money, but not much more, and the disagreements have led to a better package.

“It's not personal, it's just professional,” Lakin said.

Mayor Dewey Bartlett took some of the criticism in the meeting over last minute deal-making, but he wasn't happy with being called a clown.

He got what he wanted for public safety - but wanted to trim the list that had grown longer with time.

“Yes, shorter list and shorter time frame, it would have been an opportunity to understand it better,” Bartlett said.

The council has another meeting at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, then the final chance to change the list in the evening.

Several members said today they think the hard decisions are behind them, and it's only tweaks from here.