Priorities 3 Implementation of Opportunity Zones The federal 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act established the Investment timing is crucial. Investors can defer tax on any creation of Opportunity Zones to encourage long-term gains invested in a Qualified Opportunity Fund (QOF) until Funding to enhance the City’s investment in ­transportation investments to help revitalize areas with lower median the investment in a QOF is sold or exchanged, or Dec. 31, 1 and transit incomes. It’s designed to help spur investment in economi- 2026, whichever is earlier. If the QOF investment is held cally distressed areas. The areas identified in Oklahoma for longer than 5 years, there is a 10% exclusion of the The City supports maintaining funding levels for the transit Capital Invest- City are pictured below. deferred gain (or 15% if longer than 7 years). If the inves- ment Grant (CIG) program and Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage tor holds for at least 10 years, the investor is eligible for Development (BUILD) grant program. The Federal Transit Administration’s The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber and the Alliance for an increase in basis of the QOF investment equal to its fair long-established CIG program provides competitive grants for New Starts Economic Development of Oklahoma City are helping the market value on the date it’s sold or exchanged. (transit projects with $100 million or more in federal funds), Small Starts (less City promote and manage this program. than $100 million) and Core Capacity (existing at-capacity fixed guideways). While recent THUD Appropriations bills approved by the House and Senate include funding for the CIG program, funding should continue at the levels OKC Opportunity Zones and duration authorized in the FAST Act. Funding for the BUILD program, which replaces TIGER, should also be continued. Mayor & Council Oklahoma City has benefitted from these programs in the past and appreci- David Holt, Mayor ates the support of our delegation for these projects. Significant transit proj- Each zone has a distinct competitive Craig Freeman, City Manager ects that qualify for funding are often not possible without federal help. As position that will naturally drive James Greiner, Ward 1 OKC looks to the future of transit, we anticipate Small Starts and the BUILD James Cooper, Ward 2 funds will be beneficial in financing potential streetcar extensions, BRT and investment in certain products. Larry McAtee, Ward 3 commuter rail. Todd Stone, Ward 4 David Greenwell, Ward 5 2 Airport transportation infrastructure 1 Central Business District 2 Innovation District JoBeth Hamon, Ward 6 Will Rogers World Airport (WRWA) is a vital resource to the Oklahoma City > Bricktown 3 NE 23rd St. Corridor Nikki Nice, Ward 7 region. It’s one of the largest small-hub commercial airports in the nation. > Arts District 4 1-35 Industrial Mark Stonecipher, Ward 8 It serves over 4.2 million passengers annually and averages 74 daily depar- > Film Row tures to 29 nonstop destinations. The airport has nearly 70 businesses > Deep Duce 5 1-35 & I-240 Contact Info employing more than 12,000 people. > Automobile Alley 6 1-40 Industrial Jane Abraham Continued funding for federal grants that support airport infrastructure and > Boathouse District 7 1-44 & I-235 > American Indian City Manager’s Office funding to support air traffic control towers is a point of emphasis for Okla- 8 Adventure District [email protected] homa City. Also critical to OKC are the FAA operations at the MMAC as well Cultural Center & Museum 405.297.2345 as Transportation Security Administration (TSA) operations.

2 Oklahoma City 2020 Federal Legislative Program 3 4 Economic Development and Local Grant Programs 2 Support for Tinker Air Force Base Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funding Strong Neighborhoods Initiative (SNI) areas. CDBG also provide down payment assistance to 50 households every Oklahoma City has supported Tinker AFB since its incep- CDBG funding is critical for cities. Continued Congressio- funded other SNI programs like legal assistance, hazard- year. The City also uses HOME funds to support construc- tion in 1941, when the City provided the initial 1,440 acres nal support for this program helps housing supply and ous tree removal, and science, technology, engineering, tion of new affordable apartments, and rehabilitation of of land. OKC has a good working relationship with Tinker, affordability for Oklahoma City’s residents. In FY 2020 the arts and math (STEAM) after school programs. Finally, existing units to house those with low/moderate incomes. and with over 27,000 employees, the base is regionally program was reauthorized and OKC received a slight de- small businesses owners are provided annual training by Without HOME funds, our ability to construct new owner important. crease in our allocation to $4,869,051. The CDBG program the CAA’s small business development program. Last year, housing and invest in affordable rental housing and senior The City partnered with the Air Force and Oklahoma Coun- is the primary federal funding mechanism the City uses 1,000 people from over 100 businesses attended training. housing developments would be eliminated. ty to purchase 158 acres of land on the southwest side of to provide broad-based housing rehabilitation services The CDBG program also provides the City’s Urban Renewal the base to house a depot maintenance facility for the Air for low- and moderate-income households, and critical Authority with operating funds. The City’s CDBG pro- Force’s next-generation aerial refueling aircraft, the KC-46A public facilities and services in low-income areas within gram, in partnership with HUD, has continued to address Pegasus. The initial facility opened in October 2019. Tinker the community. blighted areas that include the Oklahoma Health Center, leaders believe support for this new project will create the CDBG and the Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program also Central Business District, the John F. Kennedy district and Support bedrock for the base for the next 50 years. provide flexible sources of business funding that has cre- most recently the NE Renaissance Area. The land was formerly owned by the Burlington Northern ated low- and moderate-income jobs in our community. Recent efforts include buying dilapidated properties for Santa Fe Railway Co., where it operated a rail yard that Formula-based CDBG funding enables the City to take a demolition and redevelopment, developing mixed-income 1 Support for FAA Operations primarily served the former General Motors manufactur- housing and providing infrastructure improvements. CDBG ing facility. Acquisition of this property would not have long-term approach for addressing housing, community Efforts to privatize FAA operations have been proposed is critical funding that helps to address immediate hous- been possible without the partnership between all levels development and economic development needs. Without recently. This is a critical issue both from a national safety ing, community development and economic development of government. consistent and reliable access to CDBG funding, the City and security standpoint, as well as being an integral part of needs. Continued funding cuts jeopardize the City’s ability would have missed out on notable economic develop- Oklahoma City. ments like Dell, Inc.’s creation of over 1,500 jobs, and reno- to address these needs. Support for Amtrak and Passenger Rail Service The FAA’s Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center (MMAC) is 3 vating historic buildings now home to the Skirvin Hotel HOME Investment Partnerships Program Will Rogers World Airport’s largest tenant. MMAC provides Passenger rail service has been in place from Oklahoma (250 jobs) and 21C Hotel (138 jobs). Job-creation alone is Administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and vital services and support missions for the FAA and the U.S. City to Fort Worth via the Amtrak Heartland Flyer since reason for undertaking these needed economic develop- Urban Development Department of Transportation. MMAC provides a signifi- 1999. Passenger rail had previously been absent from Okla- ment activities, without mention of the rescue of iconic cant number of high-paying jobs and brings hundreds of homa for 20 years. historic community buildings. Congress supports the HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) program, but the City’s allocation has continued visitors for training. The Heartland Flyer is state-sponsored by Oklahoma and In the last year, CDBG funding rehabilitated about 60 hous- to decline. The FY20 allocation was $2,214,939. Funding re- The nearly 6,000 employees of the MMAC oversee the Texas. Recently, funding for the service has come under ing units under the City’s Housing Exterior Maintenance ductions harm the supply and affordability of housing and safety of private, corporate, and commercial aviation in the fire as the state has been facing difficult budget cycles. Program and provided emergency home repairs to 75 living conditions within the city. U.S. MMAC provides essential training in electronics, air This important passenger rail link between Oklahoma City households under a program administered by Community traffic control, inspection and management, accounting and the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex is the only passenger Action Agency (CAA). The City also secures about 85 build- The HOME program is the City’s primary federal funding and finance for the Department of Transportation. It also rail service in Oklahoma. It was a key component in the ings per year using CDBG funding and repaints hundreds mechanism for whole housing rehabilitation services in provides logistics, research, technical training and sup- City’s efforts to secure a federal transportation TIGER grant of graffiti sites. Each year neighborhood sidewalk, signage low- and moderate-income households, affordable rental port for the National Airspace System (NAS), and regulates to support the renovation of the Santa Fe Depot multi- and lighting projects are completed in low- to moderate- and for-sale housing construction, and down payment and and certifies safety related positions and equipment. The modal transportation hub. income neighborhoods, and over 33,000 discounted bus closing cost assistance to low-income home buyers. numerous and varied NAS support functions performed and transit fares are provided to seniors and people with HOME is used to rehabilitate about 20 housing units un- The Heartland Flyer serves Oklahoma City, Norman, Purcell at the MMAC serve to distinguish it as the largest single disabilities. Last year, we also improved parks in the City’s der the City’s Whole House Rehabilitation Program and and Pauls Valley, then Gainesville and Fort Worth in Texas. site of NAS equipment within the FAA, underscoring its critical role. 4 Oklahoma City 2020 Federal Legislative Program 5 Growing ridership is now about 81,000 annual passengers. From September 2017 to August 2019, Congress avoided Proposals to expand service to Kansas and to Tulsa are funding lapses with 12 short-term extensions for the NFIP, Monitor part of the passenger rail conversation. Passenger and some for as little as two weeks. Lapses like the four from commuter rail service is also part of ACOG’s regional long- 2008 and 2012prevent borrowers from getting flood insur- range transportation plan. It’s important to keep existing ance to close, renew, or increase loans secured by property Monitor implementation of internet sales service and consider expansion. within a floodplain. During one lapse, from June 1 to July 1 tax collection 2, 2010, researchers estimated more than 1,400 home sale Oklahoma City’s top legislative priority for the past 28 ACOG to fund a study to determine the potential economic closings were cancelled or delayed. It makes sense to pro- 4 Support for National Weather Service operations years has been to address inequity created by the 1992 U.S. impact of falling out of compliance. vide a long-term funding authorization for this important Supreme Court ruling (Quill Corp. v. North Dakota). The rul- National Weather Service operations in the metropolitan program. Several of the City’s programs funded through the Energy area are significant to Oklahoma and nationally. Because of ing prohibited states from imposing sales and use tax col- and Environmental Community Block Grant (EECBG) pro- the risks that go along with severe weather conditions, this lection obligations on vendors without a physical presence gram are geared toward staying in compliance with the Support for mental health treatment options is an important public safety function of government that 6 in a given state. Clean Air Act. For example, the City’s fleet includes CNG must be taken seriously. under Medicaid Fortunately, in the summer of 2018, the Court ruled on vehicles. The City upgraded our CNG fueling station to Many issues affecting quality of life in OKC are tied to lack Wayfair v. South Dakota and reversed the Quill decision. provide rapid filling. The City’s solid waste utility contin- Support for long-term reauthorization of the of available mental health services. The City is working to The State of Oklahoma is expected to implement the new ues to invest in CNG trucks and technology. EMBARK also 5 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) address this, but there are ways the state and federal gov- decision, and businesses have begun to comply. This pro- recently received a $1.9 million grant to buy CNG buses ernment can help. cess shouldn’t be disrupted by harmful legislation. and a $797,550 grant to buy electric buses and chargers. Oklahoma City is one of about 22,355 communities in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and has done so One issue is that federal Medicaid rules prohibit the use The Spokies bike share program provides bikes in kiosks since 1972. Nationally, there are around 5.1 million policy- of Medicaid funds to pay for substance use disorder treat- 2 Ensure retention of tax-free status of accessible to people who live, work and visit areas in OKC’s holders with more than $1.3 trillion in coverage through ment at inpatient mental health facilities with more than municipal bonds core. The program is expanding and improve with new, 16 beds. But there is also a suspension for this rule that sturdier bikes. The City is monitoring the issue and collabo- the NFIP. Residential and commercial property owners are As federal budget challenges continue, several concepts extends until FY 2023 if the state has amended their state rating with ACOG and regional partners to promote clean required by the NFIP to buyflood insurance if in a Special will either raise additional revenue or cut expenditures. Medicaid plans and included the following: air activities. Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) designated high-risk for flood- One such concept is the elimination of local tax-exempt ing (a 100-year floodplain, or area with an estimated 1% or • information on how the state will improve access to status for bonds. greater risk of flooding every year). outpatient­ care Oklahoma City and its trusts use bonds to fund capital 4 Monitor issues that affect water and wastewater About 112 square miles of OKC (18% of the city) are des- • the process for transitioning people to appropriate projects. If local bonds lose their federal tax-exempt status, One of the primary functions of local government is to pro- ignated as a floodplain or floodway. Ninety-six of those outpatient­ care the cost to the City in lost opportunities to fund capital vide drinking water and wastewater services. Problematic 112 square miles (86%) are designated SFHAs. From 1985 • how people will be screened and assessed projects would be roughly $9 million. For the state, the superfund sites in Oklahoma City cause drinking water to early 2019, OKC properties have filed 463 NFIP claims cost would be roughly $13 million. contamination. The City seeks to remedy those situations The state must also certify maintenance of effort regard- which paid out $8.6 million (no inflation adjustment), an by working with state and federal officials. ing mental health services they are already providing. With average of $18,570 per claim. collaborative effort on state and federal levels, this issue Monitor enforcement and definitions of compliance The Oklahoma City Water Utilities Trust is also in the pro- can be addressed, with momentum towards permanent 3 with the Clean Air Act and EPA standards cess of finalizing a contract with Tinker Air Force Base to provide water and wastewater infrastructure and opera- change in the rules. Under the Clean Air Act, compliance standards for ground- tions for the base. The acquisition process has proceeded level ozone were reduced from .075 parts per billion (ppb) slowly but is expected to be on track for approval soon. to .070 ppb. The City works with ACOG and state agencies to monitor the metro area’s compliance. Central Oklahoma has remained in compliance, though we are working with

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