In the early 1990s, the leaders of Oklahoma City were faced with a decision: to compete or retreat. The city was in the wake of the oil bust and had lost a bid for a United Airlines maintenance facility. The decision was made to compete, and a visionary project was launched - one that changed the face of Oklahoma City forever. That plan is Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS), an ambitious program that's one of the most aggressive and successful public-private partnerships ever undertaken in the U.S. The amount spent in this public/private partnership exceeds $3 billion.
MAPS was funded by a temporary one-cent sales tax approved by city voters in December 1993. The tax expired on July 1, 1999. During the 66 months it was in effect, more than $309 million was collected. In addition, the deposited tax revenue earned about $54 million in interest. All of the public projects were funded by a self-imposed, five-year, one-cent sales tax. The tax was extended by a vote of the people for six months to cover cost increases during construction. The tax is complete and the projects are all debt-free.
In December 2009, a record number of Oklahoma City voters went to the polls and voted YES to continue Oklahoma City's bright future through the $777 million MAPS 3 initiative. MAPS 3 includes eight projects that will work to increase the quality of life for all Oklahoma City citizens, as well as create economic growth through private investment and the creation of jobs. The eight projects include improvements to the Oklahoma River, 57 miles of new walking and biking trails, improvements to State Fair Park, sidewalks, senior health and wellness aquatic centers, a new convention center, a world-class destination park and a modern downtown streetcar.
The temporary one-cent sales tax for MAPS 3 began April 1, 2010 and will be in effect for 93 months.
For more information about MAPS go to http://www.okcchamber.com/page.asp?atomid=290
Oklahoma City’s Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS) seems to provide a model for other cities seeking to improve its economy and quality of life. The effects of the plan are noticeable to local residents and to anyone who has visited the city. Key elements of the plan seem to be a clear vision for development, a well-defined implementation plan, and support of the residents. Oklahoma City’s MAPS seems similar to the Better Jacksonville Plan (GJP), the last initiative to yielded significant enhancements to the city. It may be that the MAPS plan had more public-private collaboration than the GJP. Given the current state of the economy and local politicians commitment to “run the city on the cheap”, it is unlikely that any enhancement to the city are on the horizon. Thus, the only viable option for funding improvements seems to be a MAPS-like initiative in Jacksonville. As with the GJP, the residents might be willing to approve a temporary hike in sales tax if it is for a well-defined improvement initiative that they understand. This would require visioning and planning that has been sorely lacking in this region. It would also require a marketing campaign that is well-implemented. The MAPS and GJP serve as evidence it can be done and be successful.
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