Streets Plan Being Pushed For November Ballot

The Tulsa City Council has two street plans that could go before voters this November. The Fraternal Order of Police says one of them isn't good for business or public safety. News On 6 anchor Latoya Silmon reports one plan is five years and the other is twice as long.

Some say the longer plan would affect how they do their jobs, so they called on the public for backup.

According to the city, there are plenty of the streets in disrepair. Many of them come with a million dollar price tags.

Tulsa City Council has come up two solutions, a 12-year, $2 billion plan and a five-year $451 million compromise.

The Fraternal Order of Police says the longer plan would stretch the public safety budget.

"That's money used to buy equipment, essential equipment for us to do our jobs safely and effectively," said FOP President Steve Dickson.

The FOP took their concerns to the streets or at least to those who drive them. It had an independent group survey 500 likely Tulsa voters. The FOP says it revealed that voters didn't want to impact public safety and favored the smaller plan 2 to 1.

"Can't be any more clear. The public has spoken what they want. Yes, they want the streets fixed but they want accountability," said Dickson.

The FOP says the poll also showed that if the two issues both made the ballot neither would pass.

"We do support a street package we do support fixing the streets. By all means our officers drive the streets everyday so we know the streets need to be fixed," said Dickson.

But the FOP, like those surveyed, say the council has to pick one that works.

The city council is expected to vote Thursday night on whether to put one or both plans on the November ballot.

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