Lawton City Council sets date for Capital Improvements Program election

Lawton voters will go to the polls Aug. 27 to decide whether the City of Lawton can extend its Capital Improvements Program by 16 years.

City Council members made the series of decisions Monday that will allow that election to happen, first signing off on the ordinance that would extend the existing 2.125 percent sales tax contained within the 2019 Capital Improvements Program, then the CIP resolution that sets the new projects and their projected costs (that list also includes the projects listed in the existing CIP) and the requirements for the program.

The next two items were a resolution authorizing the mayor to call an election, then the actual ballot resolution that was delivered to the Comanche County Election Board by bond counsel David Floyd.

Dubbed PROPEL 2040, the proposal would allow the city to extend the existing CIP sales tax to Dec. 31, 2040, rather than letting it expire Dec. 31, 2034. The new program includes a variety of new projects, ranging from upgrades at Highland Cemetery and improvements to the city’s storm siren system, to safety improvements for police and fire, to an extensive list of upgrades to city facilities. The proposal also would make a full percent of the tax permanent, meaning that tax remains in place unless removed by voters, said Deputy City Attorney Tim Wilson. An existing one-half percent already is allocated to public safety, water and sewer work, and the city’s emergency fund. The new CIP includes proposals to designate one-quarter percent to streets, roads and bridges; and a second quarter percent to parks and recreational amenities.

The CIP election will be citywide, held on the same day the mayoral election (also a citywide race) and the Wards 1 and 2 City Council seats are scheduled.

If approved by voters, the extension would begin Oct. 1. Without voter approval, all but one-half percent of the tax would expire in 2034.