Tulsa Councilors Make More Changes In Heated Vision Meeting

Tulsa city councilors expected to vote on Vision 2025 Tuesday night, but, instead, they continued to make changes to what seems like an ever-changing draft.

It caused heated arguments among councilors - one called his colleagues clowns, another accused the county of blackmail.

Changes are still being made; the latest was a cut to proposed fire department funding.

Critics have said Vision 2025 is supposed to be visionary, but the majority of funding is going to public safety. That was at the core of the heated discussion Tuesday night.

The latest Vision 2025 draft shows $126 million cut from economic development projects and $33 million cut from transportation.

1/21/2016 Related Story: City Officials Experience Difficulty Settling On Vision Tax Package

Tuesday night, fire department funding went from more than $80 million to $70 million.

Councilors Phil Lakin and Blake Ewing said there hasn't been a study done on where that money would go within the fire department, or where it is needed.

There was another heated discussion about whether they should cut $30 million from the Tulsa fairgrounds - some argued the county should pay for that.

Councilors went back and forth for four hours.

They have a February 4 deadline to get Vision 2025 on the April ballot. If not, the vote could be in August.

We have the latest draft, that they're still making changes to, online at NewsOn6.com, so you can take a look for yourself.

Councilors have a February 4th deadline to get this on the April ballot.

If not, the vote for Vision 2025 could be in August.

You can read the full Vision 2025 draft list here.