With a unanimous vote from the TIF review meeting committee, the temperature in the room seemed to fall dramatically. Lawton Mayor Stan Booker is perhaps one of the most community-minded leaders in southwest Oklahoma.
When one of the city’s larger employers asked for assistance in order to keep 160 high-paying jobs in southwest Oklahoma, the mayor and other leaders responded with a proposed TIF district plan that would not only save those jobs but has the potential to create hundreds more high-paying, quality jobs.
From the start, Mayor Booker has sought to grow the City of Lawton – whether it be jobs or keeping our youth in southwest Oklahoma. When the superintendent of Cache Public Schools complained that the proposed STEDI plan (Skills Training, Education, Development and Investment) could negatively impact their bonding potential amid student body growth, Mayor Booker sought a compromise. Though this will inevitably delay the overall growth of the project, the mayor sought a compromise in order to appease all parties.
Arguments levied against the TIF have ranged from it being called a “vehicle of cronyism” to taxation without representation. Both claims are without merit. The TIF is no more a vehicle for cronyism than a purchase made through normal government procedures. As to the claim about representation, the properties in question are within the city limits of Lawton. TIF districts are legal mechanisms available to municipalities; the representation is clearly expressed within the city council.
Lawton City Council will soon vote to approve the TIF plan; and while the full extent of the economic impact of the district will take years to calculate, the discussion thus far has taught us much. The discussion showed us who is willing to surrender their reputation in order to gain quick political points. It has also revealed to us just how many people were willing to make baseless accusations against otherwise exemplary leaders. But most importantly, it has proven to us just what kind of mayor Stan Booker can be.
He could have deepened the rivalries between Cache and the surrounding communities; he could have reminded the people of the overwhelming support that the City of Lawton renders to Cache Schools. After all, Goodyear, Bar-S and Republic Paperboard all reside within the Lawton city limits.
He could have mentioned that if the TIF plan fails to attract new jobs, the school district will receive no more students and expenses will remain steady. If it is successful and people choose to move to the Cache School District, they will purchase homes and the school district will receive additional tax revenue from those homes.
He could have listened to the voters of Lawton who wanted Cache Schools to share in the investment. He could have reminded everyone that there is a great difference between the wealth of a student body and the wealth of the Cache School District. While the student body may not be the most affluent, the district boasts some of the nicest facilities in southwest Oklahoma. Their district is not in the dire straits as so many claimed. In fact, their auditorium is nicer than the auditoriums of some colleges.
Mayor Booker has led with a level of distinction and honor we rarely see in politics. He chose to put the community’s needs over politics and came to a compromise, not because had to, but because he felt it was in the best interest of the community.