LAWTON — Later this year, Lawton voters will decide whether the city should issue $60 million in general obligation bonds for its ad valorem road improvement program.
The council considered on June 27 a measure calling for an election on the issue but delayed action, giving staff time to incorporate amendments aimed at clarifying the measure.
“As of yesterday, there were some changes to the language,” said Acting City Attorney Tim Wilson. “We won’t be taking action today because of the changes.”
The council will review the amended measure July 11, two days before the tax proposition must be submitted to the Comanche County Election Board for inclusion on the Sept. 12 ballot.
‘We’ve been targeting 11 mills’
Lawton voters will decide Sept. 12 whether to extend the city’s ad valorem road improvement program, which was originally approved in 2017. The program earmarks part of the city’s property tax revenues for street repairs.
If the proposition succeeds, the city will issue $60 million in general obligation bonds to pay for repairs and improvements to city streets and bridges. Part of the money would be used to cover costs associated with acquiring rights of way and relocating utility lines.
The city would repay the bonds over 25 years with revenue from property taxes, also known as ad valorem taxes.
The proposition would extend the city’s current ad valorem tax for road projects after it expires, said bond counsel Chris Gander. However, he said renewing the tax would not result in a higher mill levy.
“We’ve been targeting 11 mills,” he said. “We’re going to continue to target 11 mills, but they’ll be doing that for a longer period of time.”
‘It’s really council’s discretion’
Ward 6 Councilman Bob Weger asked city staff to clarify whether the bond issue would pay for repairs to existing streets and bridges or for new road projects.
“My constituents have shared with me their concern on wording,” he said. “Construction, they’re looking as saying we’re starting more projects. We need to finish the projects that have begun.”
Attorney Wilson said the proposition gives the city broad authority to decide which projects will be funded with bond issue proceeds.
“You get to choose the projects, so it’s really council’s discretion,” he said.
But Mayor Stan Booker said the council wants the city to complete the projects that were included in the 2017 road improvement program. He added that several bridges need repairs, but the city hasn’t identified a source of funds for those repairs.
Booker said the amended ordinance would allow the city to access bond revenue for bridge projects more quickly.
“Then the rest of the money will be for finishing the promised projects where inflation has caused us problems – surely everybody understands that – and additional road projects in the city,” he said.
Councilman Kelly Harris wanted to know how the city will decide which projects should be at the top of its to-do list.
“Will we be using the recently completed roads study to identify the worst streets and go repair those first?” he said.
City Engineer Joe Painter said the study will guide the city’s decision.
“We’ll be prioritizing the remainder of the list that way,” he said.