LOCAL
Edmond voters overwhelmingly rejected all three Edmond On The GO bond propositions that would've funded streets, parks, and fire safety projects with an up to 15 mill levy on all taxable properties in city limits. The organized NO campaign as well as average citizens (aside from a few Nextdoor curmudgeons) seemed to acknowledge the validity and need for most of the proposed projects, but preferred they be funded with existing sales tax dollars.
The Urbanist Hot Take: Despite an active YES campaign, the results were not too surprising, considering the presence of an organized NO campaign and Edmond's unfamiliarity with General Obligation Bond programs since the early 1980s. Communities in the metro area will continue to compete for jobs and workforce, and it's likely Edmond residents will take note of their neighbors in Oklahoma City, Norman, Moore, Yukon, etc., making more agressive infrastructure and quality-of-life investments. If Edmond's sales tax revenue continues to stall, the onus will be on the new city council and mayor to communicate trust, vision, and enthusiasm before voters will consider a new tax.
COUNTY
As expected, Oklahoma County voters returned Sheriff Tommie Johnson III to office for another term. While the sheriff is no longer responsible for operation of the Oklahoma County Jail, Johnson will certainly play a very visible role in the ongoing politics surrounding replacement of the jail. This remains a pertinant issue for all citizens of Oklahoma County, including 100% of Edmondites. The Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Authority has already sounded the horn that more funding will be needed beyond the recent voter-approved bond issue to fund a new county jail.
The Urbanist Hot Take: A countywide sales tax or additional property tax are likely both on the table to get the new jail across the finish line. This possibility, of course, is very challenging for local governments like Edmond as they plan to seek renewal of existing sales taxes and possible future tax increases for infrastruture. We hope Johnson's relationship with the OCCJA and approach to law enforcement will bring some urgency and decisiveness to the jail construction solution.
STATE
There were no big surprises in statewide and state legislative election results. Edmond's delegation at the State Capitol includes all incumbents plus freshman Sen. Kelly Hines (R-Oklahoma City) who succeeds Senate President Pro Tempore Great Treat in Senate District 47.
Voters' sound rejection of State Question 833, which would've allowed creation of local Public Infrastructure Districts (PIDs), was another disappointing but not surprising result given that it included the dreaded ad valorem tax.
The Urbanist Hot Take: As we've continued to stress, all indicators from the State Capitol point toward more cuts to the state income tax, with full elimination being the explicit goal. Oklahoma has some of the lowest property taxes in the United States and folks in states with no income tax, by in large, pay much higher property taxes to cover the cost of funding infrastructure, public education, etc. at the local level. SQ 833 would've created the option for local developers and business districts to work with municipalities to create PIDs - great start to this new paradigm of local taxing districts assuming more responsibilites for local infrastructure. While you may loathe Home Owners' Associations, it's hard to argue that they're not an effective and consensual, free-market way of ensuring everyone contributes to the shared infrastructure from which they benefit. With PIDs, new developments, downtown business districts, etc. would be able to realistically build and maintain their own infrastructure quicker and at a higher standard that what city government can offer - and without burdening all taxpayers in the city. That seems like something YIMBYs and NIMBYs would presumably both agree with.
FEDERAL
We don't spend a lot of time on federal issues here, given that cities have been pushing forward on economic development, housing, and infrastructure while U.S. Congress and presidential administrations have struggled to keep the lights on in D.C. from year to year. There were no surprises as far as U.S. Congress goes, with Oklahoma returning it's full GOP delegation to the nation's capital. Metro-area cities like Edmond will have reliable allies in U.S. Rep. Stephanie Bice, U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas, and U.S. Rep. Tom Cole. Lucas is poised to become Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and Cole is expected to lead the House Appropriations Commitee, making them some of the most powerful members of Congress when it comes to the federal budget. In the upper chamber, U.S. Sen. James Lankford can be expected to represent the metro area well, as he has close ties in Oklahoma City and Edmond leaders.
The Urbanist Hot Take: We don't really anticipate much of a change under a Trump administration and a narrowly divided Congress - look for tax cuts, growing budget deficit, and some decreases in federal funding. Most federal funding that goes to urban areas is already block-granted and left up to cities to allocate. Transportation and broadband funding from the Infrasucture Investment and Jobs Act will probably remain intact for the time being, while funding for rail, public transit, and electrification could be trimmed down through rescission measures.
On the housing and development front, we may see a boost in investment and mortage lending if the Federal Reserve continues to lower interest rate as inflation smooths. Though Trump has made rhetorical appeals to the NIMBY crowd, he's still a property developer from New York City, so it's hard to imagine the administration or Congress injecting the federal law into stifling local development.
One uniquely local consequence in Edmond may be a decline in the international student population at the Univeristy of Central Oklahoma, especially if travel restrictions go into effect and/or foreign relations in general sour. International students pay the highest tuition rates at UCO and generally live and participate in the local Edmond economy during their stay in the U.S.
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