OKLAHOMA CITY – Voters in the Nov. 5 election are being asked to decide 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 that allows property owners within a city or town to create a public infrastructure district.
Surface property owners living within the proposed district must vote to approve it.
It requires 100% approval of property owners within the proposed district. A city or town would then have to approve it, said Sen. John Haste, R-Broken Arrow.
Haste is the author of Senate Joint Resolution 16, which put the measure on the ballot.
The public infrastructure district would sell bonds to pay for the improvements, Haste said.
“It does not count against the city bonding capacity nor is the city guaranteeing payment,” Haste said.
Special assessments applied to those property owners would be used to pay off the bonds which are capped at 10 mills, Haste said.
A mill is equal to one-tenth of a cent.
For a $300,000 home, that comes to about $300 a year, Haste said.
Haste said if the state question passes, additional legislation governing implementation will be considered next legislative session.
He said the measure would not impact schools or CareerTech districts.
But Rep. Andy Fugate, D-Del City, disagrees.
“It also hurts our public schools and our counties because those homeowners would be looking for ways to cut their taxes and will oppose bond issues from other places,” Fugate said.
The measure would allow one developer to sell bonds for things like golf courses, parks and swimming pools, and turn around and sell the property, Fugate said.
“The tax dollars would be spent to increase the value of homes they are selling,” Fugate said. “That tax money goes directly into their pockets and the homeowners foot the bill.”
Haste said the measure could create more affordable housing.
Some cities, particularly in growth areas, do not have the bonding capacity to respond to infrastructure needs, Haste said.
“If you do not live in the development, you are not paying for it,” he said.
The Oklahoma Policy Institute has no position on State Question 833, but has put out a position paper describing it and outlining the pros and cons, said Dave Hamby, a spokesperson.
The measure is one of two state questions on the ballot. State Question 834 deals with noncitizen voting.
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