OKLAHOMA CITY – Voters on Tuesday disapproved a state question that would allow the creation of public infrastructure districts to pay for things like sidewalks, water lines, sewers and roadways.
State Question 833 is a constitutional amendment proposed by lawmakers.
It failed by a vote of 62% to 38%.
It would have allowed property owners within a city or town to create a public infrastructure district.
It requires 100% approval of surface property owners within the proposed district to create it. A city or town would then have to approve it.
The public infrastructure district would sell bonds to pay for the improvements.
The bonds sold would not have counted against the city bonding capacity nor would the city guarantee payment.
Special assessments applied to those property owners would be used to pay off the bonds which are capped at 10 mills.
A mill is equal to one-tenth of a cent.
For a $300,000 home, that comes to about $300 a year.
Supporters said the measure would not have impacted schools or CareerTech districts.
But critics disagreed.
Critics say it hurts public schools and counties because those homeowners would be looking for ways to cut their taxes and would oppose bond issues from other places.
The measure would have required additional legislation next session for implementation.
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