Broken Arrow City Council
Meeting of: 09-20-2016
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Office of the City Manager
Title:
title
Consideration, discussion, and possible approval of and authorization to execute Resolution No. 938, a resolution of support for the Tulsa Regional Chamber 2017 OneVoice Legislative Priorities
End
Background:
In 2008, the Tulsa Metro Chamber created the OneVoice agenda to represent the Tulsa Metropolitan area at the State Capitol and at the U.S. Capitol as one unified voice. The City of Broken Arrow participated in the development of the OneVoice Agenda. This was accomplished by Staff’s attendance at the sub-committee meeting and the Tulsa Regional Business Summit, which was designed to better define the OneVoice agenda.
The OneVoice Agenda is attached for the Council’s review. The priorities for State legislation include:
1. Addressing the teacher shortage.
2. Expand behavioral health and substance abuse services that improve workforce efficiency.
3. Boost public safety, create efficiencies in state spending and help additional Oklahomans suffering from behavioral health issues.
4. Support completion of the Gilcrease Expressway.
5. Support economic incentives including tax credits, exemptions, and incentives that provide an economic return to the state of Oklahoma, address current and future healthcare workforce needs in urban and rural Oklahoma.
6. Oppose school vouchers directing public funds to private schools.
7. Support sentencing reforms and rehabilitation programs that enable nonviolent offenders to reenter the workforce faster.
8. Maintain the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology annual budget at its Fiscal Year 2017 level.
9. Preserve and maintain Oklahoma’s position as a leading oil and gas producing state.
10. Support legislation to preserve and diversify sources of revenue available to municipalities and reduce the volatility associated with a single source for revenue.
11. While acknowledging the rights granted by the Second Amendment, protect the current law giving venue owners, event operators, and recreational facilities the authority to control firearm policies on property they manage.
12. Support and fund regional air quality efforts to avoid federal non-attainment designation and the economic hardship this would create for our region.
The 2016 Federal Priorities include:
1. Positioning Tulsa for F-35 operation.
2. Support efforts to expedite the implementation of the Arkansas River Corridor Project for river infrastructure improvements.
3. Restrict Federal rulemaking authority by requiring a standardized, comprehensive, and cumulative cost/benefit analysis of the total economic impact of rules, including the effect on jobs, electricity rates and reliability, gasoline prices, energy-intensive manufacturing, small businesses, housing market, power plant closures, agriculture, and state and local governments.
4. Support addressing the critical infrastructure needs with Tulsa’s aging levee system.
5. Support large-scale reform of the national mental health system that elevates the national priority for mental health issues, and support graduate medical education through long-term funding authorization.
6. Support fully funding existing Health Resources and Service Administration, Teaching Health Center programs at $150,000 per resident and allocate additional resources to double the number of funded Teaching Health Center residency positions nationwide.
7. Support the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act and fully fund federal mandates.
8. Support increasing Congressional appropriations to address the approximate $180 million in maintenance backlog of McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System.
9. Support efforts to accelerate federal permitting for projects necessary to achieve domestic energy independence.
10. Support passage of the Marketplace Fairness Act.
11. Maintain Federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits for the restoration of historic buildings
12. Support comprehensive immigration reform that enables the U.S. to attract the best and brightest talent from around the world.
13. Support moderate changes in labor regulations to ensure fairness for both employer and employee and minimize harmful effects on job creation.
14. Support legislation delaying the implementation of the EPA 2015 ozone standard.
Staff recommends Council approve Resolution 938 and authorize its execution.
Cost None
Prepared By: Norman Stephens, Assistant to the City Manager / Economic Development Coordinator
Reviewed By: Assistant City Manager - Administration
Legal Department
Approved By: Michael L. Spurgeon, City Manager
Attachments Resolution 938
2017 OneVoice Agenda
Recommendation:
Approve Resolution 938 and authorize its execution.