This is just a reminder to everyone of how vitally important to the health and well being of this city that it is that we all go out and vote "Yes" for MAPS 3. In order to demonstrate the importance of this issue, I have pointed out all that we will get with MAPS 3, and I have outlined the dangers that we as a city face if it fails. What we'll get:
1) A world class Convention Center. Though we already have two civic convention centers and dozens of hotels with convention space, and though convention business is dropping steadily across the nation, I choose to believe a fictional novel when it says "If you build it, they will come." I know that other cities who've built convention centers in the past several years have all seen convention business decline and leave them holding the bills for an unused building, but OKC has one thing these other cities don't have: year round bad weather.
2) A new park: It will be complete with water features that will also serve as free bath tubs for the homeless community that will be displaced when the Salvation Army Social Services Center is torn down to make room for the park. And because it will be protected by a dangerously understaffed police department with an average response time to high priority calls of just over nine minutes, park goers can be sure that they will have an exciting time after dark. Who doesn't like excitement? And though MAPS contains money to build these projects but not to mantain them, the park can be mantained for a mere $3 million dollars (about the salary and benefits for two police officers or firemen for an entire career) a year!
3) A new light rail system: Imagine all the middle class riders that will now only have to pay for parking once in Bricktown and who won't have to walk at all when visiting downtown! And, since the city will surely end its habit of ignoring underserved parts of the city, the rail system will provide a foundation to build a rail system off of that which would actually stretch into inner city neighborhoods so people can come from the projects to work at the convention center. After all, that's the purpose of mass transit anyway, and the city's sterling record of providing quality mass transit speaks for itself.
4) Sidewalks and Trails: Assuming someone picks up the $250 Million dollars of the convention center cost that MAPS 3 does not budget for, money will be left to add much needed sidewalks and trails that will help people lose the weight that they will gain because they don't have to walk around downtown thanks to the light rail system. And what a bargain at only $143,000 a mile!
5) Senior Wellness Centers: because someone has to drive those pesky non-profits like the YMCA out of business!
So, you can see that we have much to gain from MAPS 3, but what will happen to us if we fail to pass MAPS? Our progress as a city will instantly stop! Our investment in Bricktown ended in 2001 when the MAPS tax transferred to the MAPS for kids tax. Nothing has been built in Bricktown after 2001. And just look at neighborhoods that didn't see any MAPS money. None of them have thrived, except maybe Midtown, the Paseo Arts District , the Downtown Arts District, the Plaza District, the Asian District, and the hospital district. Okay, so a few have, but those were accidents of a good economy, while MAPS projects thrived only because we raised the money for them.
If you need an example of how much difference MAPS money makes, just look what MAPS for Kids did. Every school in the Oklahoma City Public Schools has received much-needed money for improvements and upgrades. Now everyone wants to put their kids in OKCPS. No one tries to move to other districts like Yukon, Moore, Edmond, and Putnam City. After all, if you could choose between Edmond Memorial and John Marshall, why wouldn't you choose John Marshall, aside from the gang problem, the under performing scores, and the low graduation rate?
Finally, a "no" vote on December 8th threatens the progress we have made in our city. If MAPS does not pass, the Bricktown Ballpark will be torn down. The Ford Center will crumble. The Oklahoma City native that owns the OKC Thunder will move the team to Las Vegas, and the canal will be filled in with dirt, on top of which will be built a pot-hole filled road. Don't let Oklahoma City move backward! Don't tell the city that you would rather them to invest your money in uselss things like firemen who are just going to slow traffic during the MDA drive or police officers who do nothing but write you tickets anyway.
Vote "Yes" on December 8th.
8 comments:
The Plaza District is NOT an accident of a good economy. I would think an officer would be proud to say, through the efforts of VERY hardworking volunteers, overtime Weed and Seed officers, Police officers, funding through the City of OKC, dedicated property and business owners, the Plaza District is thriving because of dedicated citizens. If you'd like to tell me otherwise, please give me a call at 308-5991.
Kristen Vails
Plaza District Association
Executive Director
Kristen, it's ok. It is very typical of people who make twice what the rest of us make to tell us our hard work is simply an accident.
75k a year (your own numbers) is a scam. Building a city that will benefit thousands of citizens for years to come is a no-brainer.
If you have this little hope for Oklahoma City why haven't you moved yet?
First of all, everybody, learn to recognize parody when you see it. This is a less-skilled attempt to ape the style of "A Modest Proposal." I'm sorry that you were unable to take it in the comical spirit it was intended.
Clifton, I did leave. I was a professional actor and a teacher in Memphis, TN. I came home because this is my home and I love it. This is the same reason I serve its citizens every night while my wife and two children sleep at home without me.
Sid, Our pay scale is a matter of public record and is available at http://ocpd.com, so I'm not sure where you got the idea that those were "your own numbers". Only our command staff makes that much, and I am not command staff. I make $54,000 a year, and frankly I'm not embarrassed about that. My wife goes to bed alone every night, I've pulled a dead 13 year old out of a pool, seen countless gruesome crime scenes, been bitten by a homeless man who was high on crack and by a 17 year old mentally ill boy who thought he was biting evil spirits. I've been in fights with adult men all alone in back yards where no one could see me, jumped fences while wearing 25 pounds of gear, and been a second from killing three seperate people. On top of that I hold an advanced degree and used to teach University students. So if you think I'm not worth $54,00, I invite you to come out and give it a try.
Kristen, You're exactly right, and you prove the point of the parody. Our city can, despite what the commercials say, thrive without MAPS.
I of course, am thankful for your service, and all the public safety service to our city. The Plaza District wouldn't be where we are with out it, and that is a fact. I'm simply offended, that you choose to make a parody out of the hard work of many. Just like you say above, people don't realize how much you go through doing you're job. I don't think you realize how much goes into making these areas thrive, and there would be no thriving Plaza District if there was never MAPS.
Kristen,
I'm part of that hard work, incidentally. That's sort of the point. I'm attacking the rhetorical fallacy that without MAPS our city can have no development, a statement that I think ignores the fact that hard work has payed off wonderfully in places like Plaza District, Paseo, the West-Downtown arts disctrict, and other places that recieved no MAPS money. I actually reject the assertion that without MAPS none of these places would have been possible. Paseo was alive and vibrant in the 1970's, long before MAPS(and, Frankly, because I am an artsy ex-actor, I prefer these places over the Bricktown mess any day).
Capitol Hill remains vibrant today, though because it is predominatly Hispanic, most voting citizens of this city don't know about it, and it is utterly ignored by the author's of MAPS.
Buy the way, I have no intention of pretending that MAPS has not been good for our city (though I would point out that it has not been good for everyone and has passed many by, as you know from reading my previous piece). I would attack the fallacy that if MAPS stops, so does our city, a message in every MAPS commercial. . .except the attack ad against me and my brothers.
I'm sorry that you read my parody in the wrong way. I don't pretend to be as good as Swift, only to have read him. But, frankly, I am offended that the mayor has deliberately misconstrued our intentions, just flat lied about his assertion that we are against MAPS because "we didn't get a raise" when he knows that we didn't even ask for one, and mostly I am offended that I work for an employer that took out an attack ad against him own employees.
I guess that's politics; which is why tomorrow I will once again disappear from all things political and I have planned a day of reading Gunter Grass, wearing a Product Red T-shirt and drinking fare trade coffee. I hope that you will be painting something.
So you are against MAPS3 because projects around the city have been successful historically but were not done under the MAPS heading. That is like not supporting an organization once it becomes a 501c3. Natural progression of things I imagine.
Do we need examples listed of major projects and efforts by communities and how they are wonderful standing examples of achievement?
Baby steps my friend. I love the neighborhoods too but I think those in favor of MAPS are thinking bigger for the long term.
Well, fair enough. It seems we just disagree. I feel the Plaza District is largely supported, and will largely be supported by young families, young professionals who choose to live here because of many reeasons of course...I just feel that many of the reasons have alot to do with MAPS.
Plaza and Capitol Hill don't need MAPS money, because the city has invested in our areas through other means. Our streetscapes were BOND issues, our operating budgets are/were partially funded through the city. The City carried Capitol Hill until they became self-sufficient, and Plaza will follow suit.
Guess we could go on forever, but at least its almost over. Your day tomorrow sounds nice. Perhaps I can paint.
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