Business Strategy: GO Bond 2025

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This fall, Oklahoma City will vote on a new General Obligation (GO) Bond. This $2.7 billion bond is designed to cover the city’s fundamental needs to maintain OKC’s prosperous growth and keep our infrastructure on par with the new businesses and high-quality events the city is hosting. Residents will visit the polls on October 14 to vote on these proposed infrastructure improvements in a special election.

The proposed bond plan includes addressing Oklahoma City’s growing infrastructure needs, maintaining past city investments, as well as enhancing the quality of life for residents. In a city as massive and populated as Oklahoma City, maintaining infrastructure, especially on our streets, requires regular funding. Over 500 projects were selected based on public input and strategic planning to receive funding from the GO Bond.

The funds from the 2025 bond will appear as 11 propositions on the ballot. These projects include improvements to streets, parks and recreational facilities, economic and community development (which includes funding for affordable housing programs), drainage control, fire facilities, transit, public safety facilities, bridges, traffic systems, library and learning centers, and city maintenance, data and services facilities.

Over 75% of the projects outlined in this year’s plan address critical infrastructure updates that support basic community needs. At $1.35 billion, the largest portion of the GO Bond is dedicated to refurbishing Oklahoma City’s 900 miles of sidewalks.

While general obligation bonds are funded through property taxes, the 2025 GO Bond will not affect the current property tax rate that residents are paying. Oklahoma City issues new bonds as previous bonds get paid off, so that taxes stay stable while the city is able to continually invest in new improvements. This way, residents can enjoy up-to-date infrastructure without seeing an impact on their wallets.

General obligation bonds have been used in Oklahoma since before statehood as a critical way we fund public infrastructure. If we want to keep seeing exciting new developments added to Oklahoma City’s future, we need to fund regular maintenance of our existing infrastructure. We cannot take basic infrastructure needs, like sidewalk or transit maintenance, for granted.

So, Oklahoma City, mark your calendars for October 14 to vote on the OKC 2025 General Obligation Bond, and see the impact your vote can have on the city.

Kenton Tsoodle is president of the Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City.