[1. Call to Order.]
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IT'S FOUR O'CLOCK BY MY ECHO, BY MY MIND, BY SAYING, SING SOMETHING FOR US.
[2. Presentation and discussion by Tyler Powell and Brookes Wright with CSS Partners LLC on the 2022 State of Oklahoma legislative session.]
A SPECIAL PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION WITH TODDLER, BROOKLYN, PAOLO AND BROOKS, SOME RIPE WITH CSS PARTNERS, LLC, ON THE 2022 STATE OF OKLAHOMA LEGISLATIVE SESSION.SO WE'RE GOING TO LEAD US OFF.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE TODAY WITH A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA TIME.
UM, WE'VE GOT OUR PARTNERS HERE FROM CSS PARTNERS WHERE WE HAVE ONE OF THEM, UH, BROOKS WAS NOT ABLE TO JOIN US TODAY, BUT, UM, THEY'VE BEEN GREAT TO WORK WITH.
WE'VE BEEN WITH THEM NOW, UH, JUST FINISHED UP OUR SECOND YEAR AND, UH, WE'RE VERY, WELL-REPRESENTED DOWN AT THE CAPITOL AND I'M VERY THANKFUL TO HAVE THEM, UH, DOWN THERE DOING WORK FOR US.
AND SO TYLER PALS IS GOING TO STEP UP AND KIND OF GIVE YOU A RECAP OF EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR AND, UM, GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL IF YOU WANT TO GIVE ANY.
AND SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO TYLER.
AND GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL, UM, WANTING TO GET THROUGH AND KIND OF, I'M GOING TO KEEP MY REMARKS PRETTY SHORT, CAUSE I DO KIND OF BELIEVE IN DISCUSSION BEING A LOT BETTER FOR THESE TOPICS TO KIND OF WALK THROUGH WHAT YOU ALL ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN.
SO I'VE GOT JUST A COUPLE OF SLIDES TO SHARE, JUST TO KIND OF SET THE STAGE OF WHAT WE SAW THIS SESSION.
UM, OR SHOULD I SAY THE CONTINUING SESSION THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE? SO, UM, JUST TO KIND OF WALK THROUGH WHERE WE'RE AT.
SO EVERY TWO YEARS THE OKLAHOMA, THE VOTERS IN OKLAHOMA WILL ELECT THE OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE.
SO WHEN WE REFER TO LEGISLATURE, UM, WE'RE MEETING THE TIME PERIOD BASICALLY AFTER ELECTIONS IN THE EVEN YEAR AND THOSE TWO SESSIONS FOLLOWING AFTERWARDS.
SO THE CURRENT LEGISLATURE, THE 58TH LEGISLATURE, THESE WERE FOLKS THAT WERE ELECTED DURING THE 2020 ELECTION CYCLE.
UM, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BECOME PUMPKIN SOMETIME IN NOVEMBER FOLLOWING THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS.
UM, JUST TO KIND OF WALK YOU THROUGH WHAT KIND OF, HOW SESSION NORMALLY WORKS TRADITIONALLY.
UM, WE DO THE REGULAR SESSION THAT BEGINS ON THE FIRST MONDAY IN FEBRUARY.
HE CONCLUDES ON THE LAST FRIDAY IN MAY, BY THE OKLAHOMA CONSTITUTION.
THAT'S ONE, WE'RE ALL AWARE OF THAT.
UM, THIS YEAR WE WERE IN THE SECOND REGULAR SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE.
THAT MEANS THAT ALL THE BILLS THAT ARE LEFTOVER FROM THE FIRST ARE STILL ALIVE.
UM, AND THEN LAWMAKERS GOT A CHANCE TO FILE NEW BILLS IN THE SECOND SESSION THIS YEAR, UM, WE HAD, BY THE TIME NEW BILLS WERE FILED AND THE CARRYOVERS FROM LAST YEAR ABOUT 5,000 MEASURES IS WHAT WE STARTED WITH.
UM, AND THAT IS 5,000 IDEAS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT WILL WORK ITS WAY THROUGH THE PROCESS ULTIMATELY, AND I'LL GET DOWN TO IT.
UM, THERE WERE ABOUT 400 BILLS THAT BECAME LAW, UM, AT THE END OF THE SESSION, BY A COMBINATION OF SIGNATURE BY THE GOVERNOR BECOMING LAW BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR REFUSED TO SIGN IT OR VETO IT OR VETO OVERRIDES THAT TOOK PLACE.
ADDITIONALLY, THIS HAS BEEN KIND OF THE YEAR OF SESSIONS AND IT IS A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING AS WE TALK THROUGH IT.
MOST OF THE TALK TODAY, WE'LL KIND OF DEAL WITH A REGULAR SESSION BALL AT LEAST MENTIONED THE TWO SPECIAL SESSIONS THAT ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW THAT ARE STILL IN PROGRESS BACK ON MAY 18TH, THE LEGISLATURE INVOKE THEIR AUTHORITY UNDER THE OKLAHOMA CONSTITUTION TO CALL THEMSELVES INTO SPECIAL SESSION.
UM, AS A CONCURRENT SESSION TO THE END OF THE REGULAR SESSION.
THE PURPOSE OF THAT WAS BASICALLY TO EXERT THE LEGISLATORS AT THE WORDY ON THE SPINNING OF THE ARPA FUNDS.
UM, THERE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN A PROCESS SET UP UNDER STATE LAW INVOLVING THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR THAT WAS GOING TO TAKE PLACE.
THE LEGISLATURE GOING UNTIL ABOUT MAY HAD SPENT ABOUT $15 MILLION TO THE STATES, $1.8 BILLION, AND THE GOVERNOR HAD FAILED TO ACT ON ANY OF THOSE TO APPROVE THEM SO FAR.
UM, THE LEGISLATURE TOOK ACTION TO GO THROUGH AND RESUME THAT.
AND THAT BASICALLY IF YOU FOLLOW THE LEGISLATURE, LOOKS LIKE KIND OF THE BUDGETING PROCESS, WHERE THERE IS A SUBCOMMITTEE THAT IS SET UP, UH, TO REVIEW THE ARPA REQUEST.
THOSE WILL ULTIMATELY BECOME BILLS.
AND THEN, UM, WE'LL GO DOWN TO THE GOVERNOR, BE PRESENTED TO HIM FOR PASSAGE, UM, OR VETO THEY MET FOR THE FIRST TIME AND SENT BILLS DOWN TWO WEEKS AGO, I'M SPENDING ABOUT $70 MILLION ON GENERALLY HEALTHCARE PROJECTS, UM, SOME WATER PROJECTS AND THOSE THINGS GOVERNOR STOOD HAD UNTIL LAST WEDNESDAY, UH, TO SIGN OR VETO THOSE MEASURES.
SO THEY BECAME LAW WITHOUT HIS SIGNATURE.
UM, WE EXPECT RIGHT NOW THAT THAT SPECIAL SESSION, UM, THEY ARE CURRENTLY RECESSED.
WE BELIEVE THAT THEY WILL COME BACK SOMETIME IN EITHER LATE SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER, UM, TO GO THROUGH AND SPEND ADDITIONAL ARPA FUNDS.
UM, SO THAT IS OCCURRING IN THE BACKGROUND.
THAT SESSION IS ALSO CONTROLLED COMPLETELY BY THE LEGISLATURE SO THEY CAN CHANGE THE SPECIAL SESSION CALL.
UM, AND AS WE GET INTO KIND OF THE ISSUES FOR THE THIRD SPECIAL SESSION, THOSE MAY PERCOLATE BACK INTO THE SECOND SPECIAL SESSION.
THE THIRD SPECIAL SESSION WAS PART OF THE BATTLE BETWEEN THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR, UM, THAT WENT THROUGH AND CALLED BY GOVERNORS DID TO BRING THEM BACK ON JUNE 13TH, UM, FOR THE PURPOSES OF DOING TWO THINGS, LOWERING, UH, THE STATE'S PERSONAL INCOME TAX FROM 4.7, 5% TO 4.5%.
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EITHER REDUCING OR ELIMINATING THE STATE PORTION OF THE SALES TAX ON GROCERIES ACROSS THE STATE, UM, THAT WENT THROUGH AND TOOK PLACE.THERE WAS A SERIES OF BILLS THAT WERE FILED BY THE HOUSE, UM, TO DO TAX RELIEF THAT DID A TAX CUT FOR PERMANENTLY FOR TWO YEARS, A GROCERY INCOME OR A GROCERY SALES TAX CUT, UH, FOR TWO YEARS IN PERMANENTLY.
AND THEN THERE WERE TWO OTHER VEHICLES DEALING WITH THE GROCERY TAX THAT ALSO WOULD LIMIT MUNICIPALITIES ABILITY TO CHANGE THEIR TAXATION ON GROCERY.
SO BASICALLY YOU WOULD FREEZE THOSE OUT.
THAT LANGUAGE WAS NOT AGREED UPON BY THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE.
UM, THE SENATE WENT THROUGH AND DID NOT TAKE ACTION ON THOSE BILLS.
THE HOUSE PASSED THEM ON WEDNESDAY.
UM, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE 15TH AND THEN WENT THROUGH AND SIGNED.
HE DIED DURING THE SPECIAL SESSION.
THE SENATE HAS KIND OF ANNOUNCED THAT THEY ARE NOT PLANNING TO TAKE UP THOSE MEASURES, UM, AND WILL RETURN SOMETIME LIKELY WHEN THEY COME BACK FOR THE SECOND SPECIAL SESSION IN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER TO BASICALLY CLOSE OUT THE THIRD SPECIAL SESSION.
THE SENATE HAS SAID, IF THEY DO COME TO AN AGREEMENT, UM, ON THOSE TWO ISSUES, THEY WOULD KIND OF ADD IT TO THE CALL FOR THE SECOND SESSION.
I WOULDN'T BET THE FARM ON IT RIGHT NOW THAT ANY OF THAT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE.
AND IF THE SENATE WOULD HAVE APPROVED THAT SINCE THEY, SINCE THEY LEFT THE HOUSE LEFT, THEY COULDN'T APPROVE IT.
ANY, THAT, THAT IS ONE OF THE ISSUES OUT THERE OF A BATTLE BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE AND WHAT THE CONSTITUTION SAYS.
SO, UM, DON'T EXPECT ANYTHING OUT OF THE THIRST, PROBABLY THE BEST WAY TO PUT IT.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GOING INTO AN ELECTION CYCLE WITH ELECTIONS BEGINNING TOMORROW FOR THE PRIMARY.
UM, I WANTED TO KIND OF AT LEAST MENTION, SO TO KEEP IN THE BACKGROUND, KIND OF WHAT THE PARTISAN MAKEUP OF THE LEGISLATURE LOOKS LIKE WE EXPECT GOING AFTER THE 2022 ELECTIONS FOR THESE NUMBERS FOR ROUGHLY STAY THE SAME.
SO IN THE HOUSE RIGHT NOW, YOU HAVE 82 REPUBLICANS AND 18 DEMOCRATS WITH ONE SEAT VACANT THAT WAS FORMERLY HELD BY A DEMOCRAT.
UM, AND THE SENATE WAS 48 MEMBERS.
YOU'VE GOT 39 REPUBLICANS AND NINE DEMOCRATS.
THAT NUMBER IS GOING TO STAY ROUGHLY THE SAME.
EACH, THE REPUBLICANS MAY GAIN ONE OR TWO SEATS IN EACH CHAMBER, BUT IT'S GOING TO STAY ROUGHLY THE SAME.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KIND OF SET THE TONE, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ISSUES ARE THAT COME BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO KIND OF HANDLE THEM.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK BENEFITS THE CITY OF ADMIN, AND THIS IS JUST KIND OF A HANDFUL TO HIGHLIGHT OUR DELEGATION A LITTLE BIT IS WE REALLY HAVE GOTTEN MEMBERS IN KEY POSITIONS AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND OTHER COMMUNITIES DON'T HAVE LOOKING AT KIND OF THAT EDMOND AREA, LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT GREG TREAT THE PRO TEM OF THE SENATE.
YOU'VE GOT ADAM PUGH, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE, CHUCK HALL, AND RYAN MARTINEZ THE TWO VICE CHAIRS OF THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEES ON EACH SIDE, GARY MIZON AND MIKE OSBOURNE, WHO WERE ON THE HOUSE LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT ARE GETTING DECIDED, WHICH BILLS ARE COMING TO THE FLOOR.
AND, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY FOR REPRESENTATIVE OSBOURNE, WHICH BILLS MAY BE NOT, DON'T GET TO COME TO THE FLOOR, WHICH KIND OF GO TO DIE.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY ON THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUES, BOTH NICOLE MILLER AND PRESTON STINSON, UM, LEADING THE HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS FOR TRANSPORTATION, WE'RE REALLY ABLE TO GET A LOT DONE BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THIS DELEGATION.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO LOOK AT OKLAHOMA CITY AND TULSA RIGHT NOW, THEY DON'T HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE.
WE REALLY TRULY DO HAVE THE CONCENTRATION OF LEADERSHIP IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE LOCATED IN ADMIN.
IT REALLY HAS GOTTEN US AN OPPORTUNITY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO COME TO THE TABLE AND HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE THAT TRADITIONALLY WAS RESERVED ONLY FOR OKLAHOMA CITY OR TULSA.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT GOING FORWARD IS WE DO HAVE A DELEGATION AND MOST OF THESE FOLKS WILL LIKELY BE IN THEIR SAME POSITIONS, UM, FOLLOWING THE ELECTIONS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF REPRESENTATIVE MYS.
UM, BUT WE'VE GOT THE FOLKS IN THE RIGHT PLACES AND THE FOLKS THAT AREN'T LISTED IN OUR DELEGATION, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ON THE RIGHT COMMITTEES THAT MATTERED ADMIN, WHETHER THAT'S ISSUES WITH UCO, WITH THE SCHOOLS, WITH TRANSPORTATION, WITH HEALTHCARE, WE'RE ALL IN THE RIGHT PLACES TO DO THE BEST.
SO WE REALLY HAVE GOT KIND OF A, I CALL THEM THE ROCK STARS THAT REALLY ARE GOOD AT DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR ADMIN, YOU KNOW, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT BROOKS AND I DO SPEND A LOT OF TIME IS WE ARE IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH THE ADMIN DELEGATION, YOU KNOW, DURING SESSION IT'S DAILY.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S ABOUT ONCE A WEEK KIND OF OUTSIDE OF SESSION.
AND SO WE REALLY, THEY CARE ABOUT WHAT THE CITY WANTS TO DO.
WE CONTINUE TO GET ASKED AS BILLS, COME TO THE FLOOR, WHERE'S THE CITY OUT ON THESE THINGS.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS KIND OF GROWN, UM, IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
SO GETTING ONTO KIND OF WHAT SESSION LOOKED LIKE THIS YEAR, AND WE CAN GO THROUGH KIND OF SPECIFIC BILLS IF WE NEED TO ON THE LEFT, YOU ALL SEE THE AGENDA THAT YOU ALL ADOPTED LAST DECEMBER.
UM, I CAN GO THROUGH AND REPORT THAT WE HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL SESSION KIND OF GIVEN THAT WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ELECTION YEAR, UM, GOING INTO A LOT OF ISSUES, UM, AND KIND OF WEIRD DYNAMICS IN THE LEGISLATURE.
WE AVOIDED ANY PREEMPTION LAWS.
THOSE, ALL THOSE BILLS DIED THROUGHOUT SESSION.
THERE WERE NONE THAT BECAME LAW ULTIMATELY.
SO THAT WAS KIND OF A WIN THAT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT THAT'S HAPPENED IN A WHILE, WE OBVIOUSLY SAW OUR LEGISLATION SENATE BILL 15, 15, DEALING WITH EMERGENCY TRANSPORTS BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UM, BECOME LAW WITH THANKS TO THE HELP OF REPRESENTATIVE OSBOURNE.
UH, THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN US IN OKLAHOMA CITY, BUT WE'RE ABLE TO KIND OF GET IT
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OVER THE LINE AND LARGELY KEEP THE LEGISLATION THAT WE STARTED WITH.WE ALSO SO KIND OF SAW THE STATUS QUO MAINTAINED ON GUN LAWS.
UM, THERE HAD BEEN SOME FRICTION BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE ON GUN LEGISLATION, UM, AND DIDN'T REALLY SEE ANY EXPANSIVE OF GUN RIGHTS, UM, ANY EXPANSION OF OPENERS, CONCEALED CARRY, SO THAT ALL STAY THERE.
WE ASSISTED UCO ON SOME OF THEIR FUNDING ISSUES, UM, AND WORK TO HELP KIND OF GET SOME OF THEIR ARPA-E REQUESTS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
WE ALSO SAW A STRENGTHENING OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAWS, UM, PARTICULARLY FOR EDMUND, OBVIOUSLY KNOWING THE NUMBER OF MARIJUANA RELATED BUSINESSES WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
A COUPLE OF KIND OF KEY THINGS TO MENTION.
UM, THERE IS A MORATORIUM ON NEW BUSINESS LICENSES THAT WILL BEGIN ON AUGUST ONE AND RUN THROUGH AUGUST 1ST, 2024.
ADDITIONALLY, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OMA WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO SET THAT.
UM, LONG-TERM THE ABILITY TO KIND OF LIMIT LICENSES.
SECOND, THERE WAS A FEE INCREASE THAT SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED THE COST OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA BUSINESS LICENSES FROM, UH, 2,500, DEPENDING ON KIND OF THE TIER THAT THEY'RE IN UP TO 50,000, DEPENDING ON WHICH TYPE OF LICENSE THAT IS ULTIMATELY, WHAT I'LL TELL YOU IS I THINK THAT IT WILL LEAD TO SOME CONTRACTION IN THE NUMBER OF BUSINESSES.
YOU OBVIOUSLY ALSO SAW, UH, THE ENFORCEMENT OF, UM, MARIJUANA RELATED LAWS INCREASED, UM, THERE'S NEW THINGS ON THE BOOKS THAT WILL HELPFULLY KIND OF BEGIN TO REDUCE THOSE NUMBER OF LICENSES.
WHAT I WILL CAUTION YOU ALL WITH IS THAT ALTHOUGH, UM, THE MORATORIUM IS BECOMING, GOING IN PLACE UNDER THE LAW, THAT CAN STILL PROCESS APPLICATIONS THAT WERE RECEIVED BEFORE ON OR BEFORE AUGUST 1ST.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, YOU CAN TRANSFER A BUSINESS LICENSE FROM ONE ENTITY TO THE OTHER, AND IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO STAY WITHIN THE SAME GEOGRAPHIC AREA.
YOU COULD BRING A LICENSE TO EDMUND FROM POTEAU OR SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO THERE IS SOME PORTABILITY OF THOSE LICENSES NOW THAT NOW EXIST ALSO.
SO IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A SOPHOMORE, BUT YOU'LL BEGIN SEEING SOME REDUCTIONS IN THAT WE ALSO SAW INCREASED FUNDING FOR ODOD.
UM, AND THE EIGHT YEAR PLAN, I'LL GET TO THAT IN A MINUTE, JUST KNOWING KIND OF WHAT EDMUND'S PRIORITIES LOOK LIKE ON TRANSPORTATION ISSUES, UM, FOR EAST ADMIN, UM, SOMETHING THAT IS IMPORTANT.
WE SAW THE CREATION OF THE STATE BROADBAND OFFICE, UM, AND A BOARD TO GOVERN THAT, UH, THE STATE IS GOING TO HAVE ABOUT A BILLION DOLLARS BETWEEN ARPA AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL ON BROADBAND FUNDING.
UM, THAT WILL BE ALLOCATED OUT THROUGH THE NEW STATE BROADBAND OFFICE, WHICH IS JUST GETTING SET UP.
UM, SO THAT IS SOMETHING TO KIND OF KEEP AN EYE ON.
WE ALSO SAW WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A COUPLE SMALL SALES TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR NONPROFITS, WE DIDN'T REALLY SEE AN EXEMPTION, UH, MAJOR EXEMPTIONS TO SALES OR USE TAX THAT ARE GOING TO NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE CITY.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THE CONVERSATION ON THE GROCERY SALES TAX WILL CONTINUE.
AND I THINK THAT THAT WILL CONTINUE OVER THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS.
UM, ALL THE PROVISIONS THAT THE SENATE SEEMS TO BE WILLING TO ACCEPT, HAVE ALL HAD PROVISIONS THAT STILL ALLOW MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTIES TO KEEP THEIR SALES TAX IN PLACE ON GROCERIES.
IF THE STATE PORTION WAS REMOVED TWO THINGS THAT WERE ON YOUR AGENDA, THAT WE DID NOT REALLY GET A CHANCE TO KIND OF MOVE FORWARD.
UM, THE FIRST IS WE DID HAVE LEGISLATION THAT MADE IT ALL THE WAY UNTIL THE END IN THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE PROCESS ON VIRTUAL MEETINGS.
UM, THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT, THE FINAL VERSION THAT WOULD HAVE PERMITTED THOSE UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES WAS NOT HEARD, UM, AT THE END OF SESSION.
AND THEN SECOND, WE DID NOT SEE ANY KIND OF MEANINGFUL CHANGES TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM.
UM, THAT'S BEEN AN ISSUE ON OUR AGENDA FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS BACK TO THE GROCERY TAX.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO WATCH, UM, WHAT THAT COULD MEAN IN ANY VERSIONS THAT WILL COME OUT BETWEEN NOW AND THE BEGINNING OF NEXT SESSION.
UM, I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU ALL THAT WE NEED TO MAINTAIN AN EYE ON.
IT IS VERY POLITICALLY POPULAR, POPULAR WITH THE GOVERNOR, POPULAR WITH THE HOUSE AND POPULAR WITH THE SENATE.
I REALLY DO SEE THAT BECOMING LAW PROBABLY IN THE NEXT YEAR.
OBVIOUSLY WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY ON SOME OF THE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING, UM, THAT IS OUT THERE.
UH, WE'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH CONGRESSWOMAN BISONS OFFICE ON SEEING IF WE CAN GET FEDERAL ASSISTANCE, UM, TO GO THROUGH AND SECURE SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT, UM, HAS DEVELOPED IN THAT PROJECT.
UH, WE'VE WORKED WITH THE CITY TO ADJUST THE ARPA REQUESTS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN WITH THE STATE, UM, TO REPRIORITIZE THAT TOWARDS THE WATER TREATMENT, UH, PROJECT WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR DELEGATION ON TRYING TO FIND ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF FUNDS, UM, TO HELP KIND OF DEAL WITH SOME OF THOSE ADDITIONAL COSTS AND THEN WORKING WITH THE DEQ AND THE WATER RESOURCES BOARD ON ENSURING THAT WE STILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE STATE REVOLVING FUND, THE STATE'S MAIN LENDING PROGRAM FOR INFRASTRUCTURE OUT THERE.
SO ALL OF THAT IS STILL AT WORK IN PROGRESS.
UM, WE SHOULD PROBABLY KNOW MORE ON THE STATE'S, UM, ARPA FUNDING REQUESTS SOMETIME LATER THIS FALL.
UM, I WOULD SUSPECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE ANOTHER MAJOR ROUND OF SPENDING, UH, BY THE STATE WHEN THEY COME BACK FROM THE SPECIAL SESSION.
WHAT'S KIND OF UNKNOWN RIGHT NOW IS IF THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND THE ENTIRE SUM BEFORE, UM, THE END OF NOVEMBER, OR IF THEY'RE GOING TO PUSH SOME OF THAT INTO THE NEXT LEGISLATURE.
SO THANKS TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR ON THAT ONE.
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THE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS FOR ADMIN ARE VERY IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW.UM, WE SAW ODATA APPROPRIATION INCREASED BY ABOUT 3%.
UM, SO NOT A HUGE DONE HUGE AMOUNT IN THEIR BASE BUDGET.
WHAT WE DID SEE IS FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, WE'VE HIT THE STATUTORY CAP ON THE ROADS FUND, THE ROADS FUND, UM, IS WHERE THE GASOLINE TAX, WHERE OTHER TRANSPORTATION REVENUES GO TO.
AND THAT IS THE MAIN FUND THAT'S USED FOR THE EIGHT YEAR PLAN.
UM, SO WE SAW MAXIMUM FUNDING THAT'S ALLOWED ON THAT.
UM, WHAT WE'LL SEE KIND OF IN THE COMING YEARS IS WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE LONGTERM.
IF WE ENTER SOME REFEREE ECONOMIC TIMES, UM, OR IF THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO UP THAT CAP FURTHER.
SO, UM, RIGHT NOW, THEORETICALLY THE MAXIMUM THAT IT WOULD SEE AS THE SAME AMOUNT THIS YEAR, NEXT YEAR.
UM, SO I THINK WE WILL SEE SOME OF THAT COMING.
WE ALSO GOT A TON OF MONEY COMING DOWN FROM THE FEDS, DO THE FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.
UM, THIS WILL KIND OF HELP ELEVATE THE EIGHT YEAR PLAN AND MOVE SOME OF THESE PROJECTS FORWARD A LITTLE BIT QUICKER.
SOME OF THIS IS BASE ADDITIONAL MONEY COMING INTO THE BASE FROM FEDERAL AID.
THAT'S COMING ON AVERAGE, JOE, DOT'S SEEN ABOUT A 20% INCREASE IN THEIR FEDERAL FUNDING BECAUSE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL OF THAT.
YOU'LL HAVE ABOUT 4.3 BILLION FOR HIGHWAYS, UH, 266 MILLION FOR BRIDGES AND ANOTHER 349 MILLION FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT.
UM, WE WILL SEE HOW THIS ALL CONTINUES TO WORK OUT, GIVEN BOTH HIGH GAS PRICES, GIVEN INFLATION, UM, WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE, WHAT I CAN SAY, OBVIOUSLY GIVEN ALL THE PROJECTS ON I 35 THAT ARE GOING TO BEGIN, UM, BEGINNING IN OCTOBER, GOING THROUGH A FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 28, UM, YOU KNOW, PRESERVING OF THE EIGHT YEAR PLAN IS GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP THOSE PROJECTS BOTH ON TIME AND FUNDED WITHIN, WITHIN THE ALLOTTED TIME.
I THINK WE'RE VERY GLAD THAT WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVE MILLER AND REPRESENTED STINSON ON THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE FOR TRANSPORTATION TO HELP ENSURE THAT, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND WATCH KIND OF MOVING FORWARD.
WE'VE ALSO STARTED, UM, CONVERSATIONS WITH ODOD AND MEMBERS OF THE ADMIN DELEGATION ON WAYS TO IMPROVE, UM, HIGHWAY 66 AND HIGHWAY 77, UH, THROUGH THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND HOPE TO HAVE SOME MORE UPDATES ON THAT LATER, AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ANY ADDITIONAL LEGISLATION THAT'S NEEDED FOR THE RTA.
WE RAN A BILL LAST YEAR THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HELP WITH, UM, DEALING WITH SOME OF THE LIABILITY ISSUES RELATED TO THAT.
FINALLY, IN ALL, BE QUIET AFTER THIS AND TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, AS WE KIND OF LOOK FOR THE 2023 SESSION, THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WANT TO KIND OF MENTION TO BEGIN THINKING ABOUT WHAT ARE EDMUND'S PRIORITIES KIND OF MOVING FORWARD? WE'VE WE'VE HAD A SUCCESSFUL YEAR, AS I KIND OF TALKED ABOUT, WE'VE GOT MEMBERS IN THE RIGHT PLACES.
WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO FOCUS ON? WHAT ARE THE PROJECTS THAT WE WANT TO GET DONE WHILE WE KIND OF HAVE EVERYONE IN LEADERSHIP? THAT'S SOMETHING TO REALLY THINK ABOUT.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN THIS SUMMER IS KIND OF QUARTERLY MEETINGS WITH THE ENTIRE DELEGATION, UH, TO GO THROUGH AND HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS AND EXPRESS KIND OF WHAT SOME OF THE PRIORITIES FOR THE CITY OF EDMOND ARE, LET THEM KNOW VERY EARLY ON WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE ALSO WANT TO GO THROUGH AND EXPAND, UM, OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS.
UM, BOTH AS WE'RE HAVING CHANGES IN THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, GIVEN THAT THIS ELECTION CYCLE, UM, AND WITH, YOU KNOW, IMPORTANT FEDERAL AGENCIES LIKE EPA AND USDA, UM, IN DC, DO ENSURE THAT WE'RE GETTING PROPER FUNDING FOR THE PROJECTS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ADMIN.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO ASSIST WITH AND KIND OF CONTINUE ON ONE THING I WOULD RECOMMEND.
AND I'VE KIND OF GIVEN A LIST OF ISSUES THAT I THINK WILL SHOW UP DURING THE 2023 SESSION.
UM, THIS IS NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE LAWMAKERS THINKING ABOUT EVERYTHING, UM, ESPECIALLY AFTER THEY GET OFF THE ELECTION BLOCK.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO TIE IT BACK TO YOU AS THE SCHEDULE THAT I'VE GOT ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF KIND OF WHAT SESSION'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE GOING INTO 20 23, 2 IMPORTANT DATES THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED ON THERE.
AND THIS IS WHERE I WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHERE OUR AGENDA TAKES PLACE.
UM, TRADITIONALLY YOU'VE APPROVED THAT IN THE DECEMBER, UM, COUNCIL MEETING THAT IS ACTUALLY NORMALLY AFTER THE BILL REQUESTS DEADLINE, UM, FOR US TO ASK A LAWMAKER TO CARRY THAT BILL, I'D PROBABLY RECOMMEND THAT WE MOVE UP KIND OF GETTING OUR AGENDA FINALIZED UNTIL PROBABLY EARLY NOVEMBER, UH, JUST TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE ADEQUATE ACCESS TO THE, TO GET THOSE BILL REQUESTS IN.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, PARTICULARLY IN THE HOUSE WHERE EACH HOUSE MEMBER IS ONLY ALLOWED TO HAVE EIGHT HOUSE BILLS HEARD.
SO IF WE WANT A REPRESENTATIVE OSBORNE OR REPRESENTATIVE MARTINEZ, UH, OR MILLER TO CARRY ONE OF OUR BILLS, THEY KIND OF HAVE TO KNOW CAUSE THEY ONLY HAVE SO MANY SLOTS TO GET TO CARRY IT IN.
WE'RE LOOKING AT KIND OF THE SCHEDULE FOR THE NEXT LEGISLATURE.
OBVIOUSLY THEY'LL CONVENE ON FEBRUARY 6TH, UM, AND COMPLETE ON MAY 26TH OF NEXT, NEXT, OR NEXT SESSION.
UM, THE OTHER THING I DID WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION SINCE WE DID, SINCE ALL OF THIS STUFF ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA EARLIER, UM, THERE IS ANOTHER STATE QUESTION THAT IS OUT THERE THAT IS CIRCULATING RIGHT NOW THAT DOES HAVE A HIGH PROBABILITY OF MAKING THE BALLOT.
UM, AND THAT STATE QUESTION EIGHT 20, UM, WHICH WOULD GO THROUGH AND CREATE THE ADULT USE PROGRAM OR RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA IN THIS STATE AS KIND OF A BOLT ONTO THE MEDICAL PROGRAM.
THERE ARE TWO OTHER STATE QUESTIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE, UM, THAT ARE ALSO OUT
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TO SIGNATURE, BUT STAY QUESTION 80 20 DOES LOOK LIKE IT MAY END UP BEING ABLE TO SECURE THE NECESSARY SIGNATURES.SO WITH THAT, I'VE TALKED QUITE A BIT AND DEFINITELY WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS.
THAT WAS ATTENTIVE DOES A LOT UP THERE AND I'M PRETTY SURE EVERYONE'S IS GOING FAST.
SO CAN I ASK MY QUESTIONS FIRST? YOU SAID ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA, YOU, YOU SAID THE EIGHT 20 BILL, YOU SAID BOLT ON.
SO, SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT MIRACLE METAL WATER WOULD STILL BE HERE AND THEN RECREATIONAL IS STILL BE HERE? IT WOULD BE A SEPARATE PROGRAM FROM THE MEDICAL PROGRAM.
SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO REALIZE SINCE ALL OF THE BUSINESSES TO DIS TO DECIDE IF THEY WANTED TO BE A RECREATIONAL BUSINESS, A RECREATIONAL AND MEDICAL BUSINESS, OR PURELY JUST A MEDICAL BUSINESS.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S OUT THERE, AS I MENTIONED, WE HAD THE MORATORIUM THAT'LL GO IN PLACE ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA LICENSES.
THERE IS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE AND HOW THAT IS WRITTEN, THAT IT WOULD ONLY APPLY TO THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA SIDE.
SO THEORETICALLY, UM, IF STATE QUESTION EIGHT 20 WERE TO MAKE THE NOVEMBER BALLOT AND PASS, IT WOULD BECOME LAW SOMETIME IN MID FEBRUARY.
UH, THE OKLAHOMA MEDICAL MARIJUANA AUTHORITY WOULD HAVE TO BE AN ISSUE IN LICENSES WITHIN 30 DAYS.
NOW THAT WOULD PROVIDE SOME TIME FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO COME IN, UM, AND SEND SOME MEASURES DIRECTLY TO THE GOVERNOR TO TRY TO ADDRESS THAT.
UM, BUT IT WOULD BE A SEPARATELY LICENSED PROGRAM FOR THE FACILITIES.
NOW, IF YOU ARE A DISPENSARY, A GROW OR A PROCESSOR, UM, YOU CAN BE LICENSED TO DO BOTH.
IT WOULD REALLY CHANGE, UH, MAINLY THE TAXATION RATE, UM, FROM THE 7%, UH, MARIJUANA TAX AND THE SALES TAX TO A IT'S A 15%, UH, STATE MARIJUANA TAX IN ADDITION TO THE SALES TAX.
IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S GOING TO GET MORE COMPLICATED.
UM, ON TRANSPORTATION, UH, APPRECIATE ANY HELP ON RTA AND ALL THAT 80 MIL WATER, BUT ON THE TRANSPORTATION ON ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION, HAS THERE ANY BEEN ANY DISCUSSION ON, UM, RAILS TO TRAILS TYPE PROGRAMMING? YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT BEEN A TON OF THAT DISCUSSED AT THIS POINT.
IT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT I THINK MORE AND MORE, UM, FOLKS WHO ARE LOOKING INTO IN BOTH THE METRO AREAS, UM, FOR HOW ALL THAT'S GOING TO INTERCONNECT.
UM, THERE IS NOT BEEN JUST A TON OF DEVELOPMENTS OUTSIDE OF, WE ARE GOING TO SEE A NUMBER, UH, OR A LARGE INCREASE IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT, UM, FUNDING THROUGH THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.
AND THEN ON BROADBAND, JUST, I THOUGHT IN THE VERY BEGINNING, WHEN THEY WERE TALKING, WAS IT THERE WAS A, WAS IT, WAS THERE A CONCERN OR ISSUE WITH THE DEFINITION OF RURAL, RURAL? YEAH.
SO THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ONE.
UM, THE BROADBAND PRIORITIES HAVE REALLY COME FROM THE HOUSE AND SPEAKER CHARLES MCCALL, UM, BACK IN THE 2021 SESSION, UM, IT WAS ALL THE WORD RULE WAS EVERYWHERE THROUGH THE DEFINITIONS, UM, THROUGH THE PROVIDERS AND OTHERS WERE ABLE TO GO THROUGH, WELL, IT SAYS RULE AND THE RULE EXPANSION COUNCIL, WHILE IT SAYS RULE THROUGHOUT IT, IT WOULD APPLY STATEWIDE.
THERE ARE SOME RESTRICTIONS ON THE STATE POT OF MONEY THAT WAS GIVEN, THERE WAS A SALES TAX REBATE PROVIDED TO PROVIDERS THAT WERE BUILDING OUT, UM, BROADBAND PROJECTS LAST YEAR THAT THERE WAS $72 MILLION PUT INTO FOR, UM, FISCAL YEAR 20, 22 AND 2023.
UM, THAT PROVISION WAS MAINLY GEARED TOWARDS THE RURAL COUNTIES.
AND THEN THE SIX LARGEST COUNTIES IN THE STATE, I BELIEVE GOT 25%.
THE REMAINING WENT TO, UH, THE 69 OR 71 SMALLER COUNTIES GOT THE BETTER, BETTER PART OF THE DEAL, UH, WITH THE FUNDING THAT'S COME DOWN BECAUSE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL AND THROUGH ARPA, UM, THAT IS NOT TIED TO A RULER, URBAN DEFINITION.
THE STATE PASSED LEGISLATION IN 2021 THAT REQUIRED BROADBAND PROVIDERS TO PROVIDE THEIR COVERAGE AREAS.
UM, AND THAT IS NOT JUST WHO'S TAKING THE SERVICE, BUT IF THERE IS SERVICE RUNNING TO YOUR HOUSE OR NEAR IT, AND YOU'RE JUST CHOOSING NOT TO TAKE IT, THEY NOW HAVE TO PROVIDE THOSE MAPS TO THE STATE, UM, THAT IS HELPING BUILD KIND OF OUT THE BROADBAND MAP TO REALLY SHOW IT KIND OF IN TWO CATEGORIES OF WHERE HAS BROADBAND AND WHERE THERE IS NOT BROADBAND.
UM, SO THOSE FUNDS WILL GO TO THE AREAS WHERE THERE IS NOT BROADBAND.
THAT'S WHERE IT'S BEEN PRIORITIZED.
SO AREAS LIKE EAST EDMOND, UH, WOULD QUALIFY FOR IT.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A COUPLE NOTABLE HOLES, EAST EDMONDS, ONE OF THEM, THERE'S SOME AREAS IN SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA CITY.
THEY'RE ALSO KIND OF NOTABLE FROM THE URBAN AREAS.
UM, SO ALL THAT FUNDING WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE CITY OF EDMOND.
THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAD FOR RIGHT NOW.
I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT, UM, CAN YOU GO BACK A FEW SLIDES? KEEP GOING MORE, UH, OKAY.
SO YOU SAID AVOIDED ANY PREEMPTIONS IMPACTING THE CITY.
SO PREEMPTION LAWS, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS TO ME? YEAH.
SO THE LEGISLATURE HAS THIS FUN LITTLE, A TOOL THAT THEY LIKE USING THAT BASICALLY THEY WILL EITHER TELL AN INDUSTRY OR TELL A PERMANENT DECISION OR TELL SOME TYPE OF ACTION THAT THAT INDUSTRY OR ENTITY
[00:25:01]
IS ONLY SUBJECT TO STATE REGULATION AND THAT THE MUNICIPALITY DOESN'T HAVE ANY IMPACTS WHEN IT COMES TO ZONING WHEN IT BECOMES TO DECISION-MAKING PLANNING THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.SO TRADITIONALLY WE'VE ALWAYS HAD KIND OF A LIST.
AND GENERALLY AT THE BEGINNING OF SESSION, I MAINTAINED A TRACKING LIST THAT SAYS PREEMPTION BILLS THAT ARE BASICALLY THE POWER THAT WOULD OR BILLS THAT WOULD TAKE AWAY THE AUTHORITY OF MUNICIPALITIES AND THE STATE.
UM, NOW THE SENATE HAD SOME LEADERSHIP CHANGES, UM, WITH OUR NUMBER TWO POSITION, THE MAJORITY FLOOR LEADER, UM, SENATOR GREG MCCOURTNEY FROM ADA, WHO WAS A FORMER MAYOR, IS NOW THE, UH, UH, SENATE MAJORITY FLOOR LEADER.
SO HE GETS TO DECIDE WHICH BILLS COME TO, UH, TO THE FLOOR.
AND HE IS NOT VERY FOND OF PREEMPTION BILLS, WHICH IS VERY HELPFUL RIGHT NOW.
SO ARE WE GOING TO GET SOME HELP WITH RAT ROOT 66, GOING THROUGH ADMIN, FIXING UP THE STREETS? I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO EXPLORE.
UM, GIVEN THAT WE DO HAVE KIND OF FOLKS ON THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE AND FUNDING IT, UM, IT'S FIGURING OUT FIGURING OUT WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE.
HOW DO WE PARTNER WITH ODOD TO GO THROUGH AND GET THOSE ROADS KIND OF REBUILT? UM, HOW DO WE GET THEM INCLUDED? WHAT ARE KIND OF THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS? I WOULD SAY THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE PRETTY PREMATURE RIGHT NOW, UM, AND PRETTY BASIC, BUT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE KIND OF, WE HAVE, UH, AT LEAST ALERTED THE DELEGATION.
WE WANT TO BEGIN HAVING A CONVERSATION ON THIS KIND OF STARTED LOOKING AT WHAT SOME DIFFERENT OPTIONS COULD LOOK LIKE, UM, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WOULD CARRY IT AT THIS POINT, AS WE'VE KIND OF TALKED WITH MEMBERS OF THE ADMIN DELEGATION, THEY'VE ALL BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF PROJECTS LIKE THAT BECAUSE CLEARLY BEEN UP TO PAR THAT'S YEAH.
YOU CAN ONLY PATCH THINGS SO MANY TIMES.
SO FROM MS. SCOTT AND I HAD A MEETING LAST WEEK TO DISCUSS IT, SO HE'S GOING TO ASK THE HARD ONES NOW.
OH, THIS IS ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT TYLER COMING DOWN AND IN, UM, HE'S ACTUALLY GOT A NEW BABY, SO HE'S, YOU'RE LOOKING GOOD TO GET SOME SLEEP.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE TALKED TO BROOKLYN, TYLER QUITE A BIT IS, IS WE HAVE A UNIQUE SITUATION FOR EDMONTON WITH THE AMOUNT OF LEADERSHIP THE LEGISLATURE WE HAVE WITH OUR EDMUND DELEGATION.
YOU KNOW, SOME WIDE DISCUSSION IS THEY'VE, THEY'VE REALLY TURNED TO US AND SAY, WHAT'S ADMIN INTERESTING.
WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE OPPORTUNITIES WE, YOU GUYS ARE GREAT, BUT ARE YOU REALLY USING THE OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE? UM, SO I THINK, I WOULD SAY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ONE SLIDE AND GO TO THE SLIDE FOR THE TRANSPORTATION STUFF, UH, YOU KNOW, SO WE TALK ABOUT ODOD AND JUST STAYING ON TOP OF THEIR FUNDING FOR THE EIGHT YEAR CYCLES, THERE'S GOING TO BE LOTS OF PRESSURES.
AND SO JUST FOCUSING ON
HAVE YOU SEEN THE ARPA FUNDING STILL OUT THERE AND THEN BUILD BACK BETTER? THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE NEED TO BE WORKING WITH YOU AND WITH NOT ONLY JUST OUR STATE DELEGATION, BUT ALSO OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, UM, TO MAKE SURE THEY REMEMBER THE EDMONDS IN THE OPPORTUNITY THEN 60, 66 AND 77, WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS ARCADIA THAT MAY PROVIDE SOME INTERESTING OPPORTUNITIES WITH 66 AS YOU MOVE FURTHER EAST WITH THE ECONOMICALLY, UH, INTERESTING HERITAGE OF, WITH THAT IS POSSIBLE.
I'M ABOUT TO SAY PHOENIX, NOT PHOENIX, OKLAHOMA CITY WITH 77.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE AMOUNT OF COMMUTER TRAFFIC IN AND OUT OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, I THINK WE GET AT LEAST AN EMAIL A WEEK.
I GET FROM BUSINESSES THAT SAY IT'S PRETTY TERRIBLE.
AND I KNOW THERE'S A COUPLE AUTO DEALERSHIPS ARE TECHNICALLY NOT ON IN EDMOND, BUT THEY REALIZE THE INTERSECTIONS ARE REALLY PROBLEMATIC.
SO WE POTENTIALLY HAVE PARTNERS WITH OKLAHOMA CITY ON THAT EFFORT TOO, IS AS WE LOOK AT ROUTE 77, REALLY JUST ALMOST DUMPS INTO OUR DOWNTOWN HOW'S THAT LOOK, HOW DOES IT FLOW? HOW DO WE THEN MOVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR REDEVELOPMENT DOWN 77 AS WELL? SO WE'RE APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR EFFORT TO HELP IN CASEY, TO PUT IN THE REQUEST FOR CONGRESSWOMAN VICE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY WITH THE CALM TO GAY, THERE ARE NO LONGER THIS, THIS IS THE NEW VERSION OF YOUR MARKS OR CURL, AND THEY'RE CALLING THEM COMMUNITY PROJECTS OR COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING.
SO, UM, THERE IS A KIND OF AN ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURE PROCESS THAT'S ONGOING WITH THAT, BUT, UM, WE'RE BEGINNING TO SEE IT.
AND THAT, THAT DID BRING UP ONE THING I DID FORGET TO MENTION.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND IS, UM, AS WE BEGIN KIND OF THINKING ABOUT WHAT OUR AGENDA LOOKS LIKE, REALLY LOOKING AT, UM, WHERE THAT FEDERAL FUNDING DOES COME FROM AND SOME OF THOSE FEDERAL PRIORITIES, UM, GIVEN AS WE WILL HAVE A NEW CONGRESS COMING IN IN JANUARY, UM, AND LIKELY SEE SOME OKLAHOMANS, UM, KIND OF ELEVATED IN DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT PLACES THAT WE REALLY NEED TO START HAVING SOME OF THOSE FEDERAL CONVERSATIONS.
ALSO, THAT COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE MAY WANT TO EXPLORE DOWN THE ROAD.
IS THERE A VALUE FOR US, NOT ONLY TO WORK WITH OUR CONGRESSIONAL HOME OFFICES, BUT IS THERE A VALUE FOR SOME OR A NUMBER OF US TO, TO, TO TRAVEL TO DC, TO CALL UPON THE SENATORS AND CONGRESS PEOPLE, AS WELL AS THE, THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES THAT MAY HAVE
[00:30:01]
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAYBE WE HAVEN'T UTILIZED IN THE PAST, TALK ABOUT THE RAILS TO TRAILS AND TALK ABOUT THE UNIQUE COMMUNITIES.THEY MAY BE VERY INTERESTED ONCE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE THIS FAR, AND WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CORPS.
IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO A PILOT PROGRAM? ARE THERE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR WATER WASTEWATER, THIRD, TREMENDOUS INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGES? SO THERE MAY BE A VALUE FOR US.
I THINK ON THE SCHEDULE, IT MAY BE SOMETHING WHERE WE WRAP IN WHERE WE DO OUR OCTOBER STRATEGIC PLANNING.
PART OF THAT DISCUSSION MAY LOOK AT WHAT'S, LET'S START FRAME WISE, WHATEVER LIST OF AGENDA IS, OH, HOW ABOUT THAT? IS THERE ANY UPDATE ON THE, UM, MONEY FOR
UM, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW ON THAT IS, AND LET ME FIND IT ON HERE AGAIN SO I CAN MAKE SURE I SEE IT.
UM, THAT PROJECT I BELIEVE WILL, IS SET TO BEGIN IN 2020 FISCAL YEAR 2023.
SO THAT WOULD BE BEGINNING OCTOBER TO OBTAIN SOME OF THE RIGHT WAYS.
AND THOSE PROJECTS RUN THROUGH FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 2028.
SO THAT WOULD PUSH IT UNTIL, UM, OCTOBER OR SEPTEMBER 30TH, 20, 28 IS WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO BE AGAIN, SEEING THOSE, I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO WATCH ON THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE SOME OF THAT ADDITIONAL FEDERAL FUNDING THAT'S COMING DOWN, UM, WHO KNOWS WHAT THE IMPACT OF HIGH GAS PRICES WILL BE.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ALREADY HEARING FROM THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, YOU KNOW, DO YOU DO A GAS TAX HOLIDAY? I WOULDN'T, I'D HAVE TO BE HONEST AND SAY, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS AT THE LEGISLATURE THAT DO YOU DO SOME FORM OF A GAS TAX HOLIDAY FOR AWHILE TO TRY TO LOWER THE PRICE OF THE PUMP, THEORETICALLY, THAT'S COMING FREELY, THEORETICALLY, YOU KNOW, DO YOU DO IT FOR 30 DAYS, DO IT FOR 60 DAYS, YOU KNOW, A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME NOW, LIKE THE SENTENCE TAX HOLIDAY.
UM, BUT YOU DO IT FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.
OBVIOUSLY THAT'S WHERE WE DERIVE TRANSPORTATION REVENUE FROM.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THAT LINGERING IN THE BACKGROUND AT ALL TIMES, JUST LEAVE THIS OUT THE TAX THE SAME AND JUST LOWER THE PRICE.
I THINK THE LAST COMMENT I WOULD SAY IS AS WE WORK CALLED OFF SESSION TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS IS, IS WE MAY ASK MEMBERS OR PERIODIC TO, TO JOIN US IN SOME OF THESE MEETINGS WITH DIFFERENT REPRESENTATIVES, WHETHER THE AGENCIES, LOCAL AGENCIES ARE, ARE, UH, HAVE BEEN DELEGATION TO, TO BUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP TO THE SHIP OF TRUST AND THE COMMUNICATION.
AND SO THEY'RE KNOWING WHAT'S THE LATEST INFORMATION FROM EDMOND.
WHAT'S THE LATEST PUSH, BUT THEY KNEW HOW MUCH DEVELOPMENT IS GOING IN DOWNTOWN.
I MADE HER CHANGE HER PERSPECTIVE ABOUT 77 OR THAT WE'RE IN A PARTNERSHIP THAT CASEY AND OFFICER AND PARTNER ABOUT, HEY, WE GOT TO COME TO SOLUTION 77, THAT MAY PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED TODAY.
SO ANOTHER QUESTION CAME TO MIND WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE, THE VIABILITY OF, UH, OUR 35 77 AND 66.
UH, AS WE EXPAND OUR DOWNTOWN AREA, WE HAVE THIS BIG MONOLITH THAT LIKES TO COME THROUGH HERE EVERY DAY AND JUST STOP THE TRAIN.
AND I KNOW THAT THE STATE HAS GONE BACK AND TRY TO GET THAT REACTIVATED THAT WE COULD DO SOMETHING.
UM, IS THERE ANY CONVERSATION OR SHOULD THERE BE TO, TO HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE TRAIN INDUSTRY AND PER SE, THAT WE NEED, WE NEED THEIR HELP AND TRY TO MAKE OUR TOWN MORE VIABLE? UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT'S NOT JUST AN ADMIN ISSUE, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITIES ACROSS STATE.
AND OBVIOUSLY WE SAW THE ACTION BY THE US SUPREME COURT ON THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE IS PROBABLY SOME INTEREST IN THAT ACROSS THE STATE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS SOME FUNDING, IT WAS MAINLY GEARED FOR THE COMMUNITY OF DAVIS, UM, VERY SIMILAR ISSUE, UM, TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHAT A OVERPASS TYPE SITUATION WOULD LOOK LIKE FROM DIVIDED THAT TOWN.
YOU KNOW, I THINK IF YOU LOOK TO SEE KIND OF WHAT ELSE HAS TAKEN PLACE ACROSS THE STATE, UM, THE ISSUE IN NORMAN, UM, BACK PROBABLY 15 OR 20 YEARS AGO, DEALING WITH ROBINSON, UH, RIGHT THERE WHERE THE RAILROAD WAS BEING A MAJOR BACKUP POINT AND GETTING TO THE HOSPITAL, UM, ULTIMATELY THAT CAME DOWN TO A FEDERAL EARMARK, UM, TO BASICALLY PUT IT IN THE UNDERPASS RIGHT THERE.
AND SO I THINK THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF PROJECTS THAT WE NEED TO BEGIN LOOKING AT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PARTNERSHIP WOULD LOOK LIKE BETWEEN OBVIOUSLY THE CITY, UH, THE RAILROAD, UM, AND POTENTIALLY OTHER FUNDING SOURCES TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, I DO KNOW JUST FROM MY TIME, UH, BEFORE I WAS LOBBYING AND STATE GOVERNMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE JOYS OF DEALING WITH A, UH, WITH THE RAILROAD, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE SOME
[00:35:01]
VERY UNIQUE FEDERAL AUTHORITY, UM, THAT DOES MAKE IT CHALLENGING.GENERALLY THEY HAVE BEEN AT TIMES WILLING TO PARTNER, BUT IT DOES, YOU HAVE TO KIND OF WORK ON THEIR SCHEDULE.
CAN I ADD SOMETHING ON THAT REAL QUICK, JUST, JUST FOR YOUR KNOWLEDGE, YOU ALL DID APPROVE FOR US TO DO A JOINT STUDY WITH BNSF, UM, TO LOOK AT THE VIABILITY OF DOUBLE TRACKING FURTHER NORTH, UH, TWO MILES FROM DANFORTH TO COFFEE CREEK, UM, THAT THEY WERE VERY OPEN TO THAT THAT STUDY HAS BEEN DONE.
SO REALLY AT THIS POINT, IT'S IDENTIFYING THE FUNDING TO DO THAT SORT OF PROJECT.
UM, AND, AND WE'RE REALLY GOING TO BE LOOKING HARD AT FEDERAL DOLLARS.
THERE'S ALSO, UM, RAIL GRANTS AND THAT CYCLE TYPICALLY WILL COME LATER THIS YEAR.
THAT WAS ONE THING THAT WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO LOOK AT AS WELL FOR THAT.
SO, UM, THEY HAVE AN INTEREST IN HAVING THAT LEVEL TRACKED UP THERE.
WE HAVE AN INTEREST IN HAVING THAT DOUBLE TRACK, AND I BELIEVE THERE'S PROBABLY ALSO SOME, UH, SOME INTEREST WITH THE RTA, IF, IF THAT AREA WAS DOUBLE TRACKED, AS WELL AS THAT WOULD BE THE KIND OF THE FAR NORTH END OF, OF WHERE THAT WOULD BE.
SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAVE HAPPENED.
WE'RE JUST KIND OF IN HOLDING RIGHT NOW, LOOKING AT WHERE WE CAN IDENTIFY FUNDING.
I THINK THAT THE CONSENSUS HAS CONTINUED TO APPLY POSITIVE PRESSURE ON THE ISSUE, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN THE GOAL OF RTA AND BRINGING COMMUTER RAIL HERE.
THEN WE HAVE AMTRAK WITH A RULE CALLED THE HEARTLAND, CARLIN FLATTER FLYER.
WE STILL WANT RAILS AND IMPORTANT HEAVY USE, SO HOW THEY ALL WORK.
AND I THINK AS MUCH AS WE WORK LOCALLY, THAT'S GOES BACK TO OUR FEDERAL DISCUSSION.
IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS LIKE WE WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN COMMUNITY RAIL.
WE WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN AMTRAK, SAME TIME THOUGH, HOW THEY ALL SHARE THE TRACK, HOW THEY THERE'S FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES TO SAY EDMOND'S PART OF THE SOLUTION.
HOW DO WE MAKE THE WORK? SO ARE YOU ACTIVE IN WATCHING THE GRANT, THE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR RTA GRANT? WE'RE OBVIOUSLY WATCHING THAT WE STAY IN PRETTY CLOSE COMMUNICATION, UM, WITH THE CITY OF OKLAHOMA CITY AND OBVIOUSLY THE OKLAHOMA CITY CHAMBER ON ALL THE RTA ISSUES.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO BE SUPPORTIVE.
I THINK YOU'VE GOT PRETTY CLEAR SUPPORT AT THE LEGISLATURE FOR ANY OF THE RTA PROJECTS WHEN WE RAN, UH, THE BILL DILLON WITH SOME OF THE LIABILITY ISSUES LAST YEAR.
I MEAN, OVERWHELMINGLY, I THINK HAD TWO OR THREE, NO VOTES BETWEEN BOTH CHAMBERS.
SO, UM, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING REAL CLOSE IN CASE YOU HELPED ME OUT WITH THE DEPARTURE OF LAST COUPLE OF CITIES WAS OUR REPRESENTATION, ART RTA BOARD CHANGE AS WELL.
UH, WE START, SO JAMES BOGGS IS OUR REPRESENTATIVE AND YOU'LL KNOW JAMES AND HE'S DOING GREAT.
SO THERE'S GET YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO ADD ONE.
SO WE DO GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL PERSON WITH THAT.
SO WE WILL BE FURTHER REPRESENTED, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT IT'S DOWN TO THREE CITIES, ESSENTIALLY.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT WHETHER IT'S A CITIZEN OR IS IT A MEMBER OF COUNCIL? IT'S A PRETTY IMPORTANT GROUP OF FILM WITH THREE CITIES CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS, MY EXPERIENCES, YOU GET A, I'LL CALL IT THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF CITIES AND THESE START TO SHOW SUCCESS.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO GET BACK IN, AND SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO REMIND EVERYBODY WHO ARE THE ORIGINAL FREE AND, AND WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY.
SO THOSE SLOTS BECOME PRETTY IMPORTANT.
SO RIGHT HERE, I THINK THE FUN THING TO CONVINCE THAT WITH US.
LET ME MENTION ONE MORE THING.
CAUSE I, IT DID GET ASKED KIND OF BEFORE WE GOT STARTED, UM, ON KIND OF THE EDMUND DELEGATION ELECTION WISE.
UM, SO, UM, WHEN WE DID FILING IN APRIL, UM, MOST OF THE ADMIN DELEGATION WAS REELECTED WITHOUT OPPOSITION.
SO THAT WAS REPRESENTATIVE MARTINEZ, REPRESENTATIVE MILLER REPRESENTATIVE, AUGSBURG REPRESENTATIVE STENSON.
UM, THE, WE KIND OF HAVE THREE SEATS THAT ARE UP THE CYCLE KIND OF IN EDMOND.
UM, YOU'VE GOT AN OPEN SEAT, UM, FROM REPRESENTATIVE GARY MIES CHOOSING NOT TO RUN FOR REELECTION.
UH, THAT'LL BE DECIDED IN THE PRIMARY OR RUNOFF IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
UH, REPRESENTATIVE ROBERTS HAS GOT A GENERAL ELECTION.
UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, UH, SENATOR MERRICK HAS GOT BOTH A PRIMARY AND A GENERAL, UM, TAKING PLACE ON THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE FROM THE AUDIENCE COPY OF YOUR PRESENTATION.
THAT IS ALL WE HAVE FOR TODAY.
I AM HERE BY YOUR, DURING THE SPECIAL SESSION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL ATTENDING LIBRA.