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Tulsa council approves North Tulsa TIF and several mayor items after mixed public comment
Summary
The Tulsa City Council approved a 25-year tax increment financing plan for North Tulsa and approved several mayoral items including a museum donation and a travel donation for a fire captain. Public comment included both strong support and concerns about private ownership of multiple properties.
The Tulsa City Council approved a tax increment financing (TIF) plan for North Tulsa and several mayoral items on a unanimous roll-call vote after public comment that mixed praise and concern.
Supporters said the TIF represents a long-term commitment to North Tulsa. Stuart McDaniel, a Crutchfield neighborhood resident, told the council the measure "will directly benefit over 3,000 existing residents with thousands more to positively impact in the coming years" and called the planned 25-year commitment a milestone for neighborhood revitalization. "We believe that this TIF will serve as an example across the country," McDaniel said.
Others used the public comment period to voice concern about large private ownership. James Alexander Jr. questioned a proposed development configuration and said, "I have a problem with anyone, developer, or whoever owning 300 property. Anyone with any sense should too." He told the council he expected members to vote in favor despite his objection.
The council's approval bundled items 4b through 4k, including: (a) a donation from the University of Tulsa to the Gilcrease Museum for an archival book titled The Maya Primer; (b) a travel donation to attend the International Association of Fire Chiefs Community Risk Reduction Leadership Conference for Captain Brian Runyon; and (c) the North Tulsa TIF matter (item 4k). Public speaker John Hopkins praised the University of Tulsa donation and read information about the Tulsa Fire Department, noting the department "currently responds to over 57,000 incidents annually" and citing the department's reported authorized strength, station count, coverage and budget figures.
A councilor moved and a second was recorded to approve items 4b through 4k with the emergency clause applied to items 4b and 4c. The motion passed by unanimous roll-call vote; all councilors present voted yes.
The TIF item drew extended public interest during the hearing; supporters emphasized partnerships among for-profit, nonprofit and civic groups and staff acknowledged multi-year work to reach the approval stage. Stuart McDaniel thanked Partner Tulsa staff by name and the mayor's office for elevating the project as a priority.
The approvals take immediate effect under the emergency clauses attached to the donation and travel-authorization items, and the council indicated the other approvals would move forward as recorded.
