February 11, 2020 Special Election
Neither proposition passed on February 11th, so we have added an email address to accept submissions for ideas.
Let’s move forward together!
On February 11, 2020 there was a city-wide bond election for road improvements. On December 3, 2019 the City Council passed Ordinance 807-2019, and Resolution Nos. 19-45 and 19-46, and more information can be found below:
- Road Core Samples
1. Pavement & Sub-grade Soil Survey (PDF)
2. Roads Gallery (Pictures) - How Much Is This Going To Cost Me?
1. Individual Impact illustrations (PDF)
2. Sales Tax example (PDF) - Road Selection
1. Road Selection Spreadsheet (PDF)
2. Staff Report (PDF)
3. Powerpoint Presentation to Road Committee-May 2019 (PDF)
4. Ward map from Powerpoint presentation (PDF) - Sample Ballot (PDF)
- Finance Package (PDF)
- City of Choctaw Budget
1. Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Budget Proposal (PDF)
2. Choctaw Street/Alley Fund (PDF) - Bond Transparency Act Notice (PDF)
For more information or questions please email roadelection@choctawcity.org
- If there are reasons that can explain the City's cost projections of $3.2M / m vs ODOT's cost projections of $1.1M / m for road resurfacing and improvements, they should be shared...
- Are there any examples of ODOT bids showing cost per road that justifies the City's projected cost per road?
- Are there two questions? Must both pass?
- What are the plans and timeline to re-pave Reno?
- Are re-doing the culverts part of the plan for roads?
- How much will it cost me?
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
The Mayor’s Task Force started their work in May 2019. The Task Force was citizen-driven and supported by two council members; Roger Malone,Chairman and Mike Birdsong, Vice Chairman, as well as city staff. The Task Force created two subcommittees a Road Selection subcommittee, chaired by the Superintendent of Choctaw-Nicoma Park Schools, and the Finance subcommittee, co-chaired by the Superintendent of the Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center and a council member. The subcommittees were responsible for determining road selection and financing options.
The Road Selection team researched and determined the street assessment report developed by the City should be used as a guide for the roads to be selected.
The Finance team worked to explore, research, and develop the financing of road improvements. The team developed a general obligation bond and sales tax package. The financing package was designed to stop the long-prescribed process of patching roads that have little-to-no base. This patching created an endless cycle of "putting band-aids on a bullet wound."
A third team was formed to develop and prepare for the logistics of the election, including providing a consistent messaging package for all campaigning in order to pass this important vote.
The City of Choctaw staff worked tirelessly for several years developing road assessments and other key informational documents.
Over 20 Choctaw citizens have been involved in the Mayor's Road Committee Task Force. These citizens, coupled with the great work done by City staff, truly made this a community proposal.
CHOCTAW’s BETTER and SAFER ROADS PROJECT
The proposal has two elements. Part One is the General Obligation bonds, to be authorized by the voters, and Part Two is a new 0.75% sales tax for streets maintenance, to be authorized by the voters.
The G.O. Bonds to be authorized are currently estimated at $13 million. The entire $13 million will not be issued at once. Instead, the bonds will be sold in dollar amounts and at dates that allow the City to target a mill levy. The mill levy target being discussed is 6 mills. A 6-mill levy on a $100,000 house with homestead exemption would result in increased property taxes of $60/year, or $5/month.
The long-range plan would have the City returning to the voters sometime in the next 10-15 years to authorize additional G.O. bonds, to be issued as the older G.O. bonds are paid off, allowing the City to keep investing in Choctaw roads, while maintaining the 6-mill levy target.
Voters will also be asked to approve a three-quarters of one percent (0.75%) increase in sales tax, which means that for every $100 purchase in Choctaw, the sales tax increase will be 75 cents. That will increase the total sales tax rate in Choctaw to 9.5%. The increase will generate approximately $1.1 million/year in additional revenue to fund the road improvement projects.