City of Lawton, Oklahoma Needs Help Spending Tax Money

Here's a little interesting blurb from the city. By the time the fiscal year ends in June, Lawton will have nearly $5.5 million extra to spend and they don't know what they're going to spend it on.

At least, they claim they don't know what they're going to spend it on yet.

In a shocking series of events, the city council is tossing out a curveball over the whole matter. They want to host two meetings to allow citizens to voice their opinions on what to do with the extra money.

They can do one of two things...

1. Not spend it and apply it to next year...
-or-
2. Spend it on something the city council decides is important.

Have our elected officials not heard the whole of Lawton complaining about roads for the last forty years?

Have they not heard the complaints over reduced trash service that somehow became more expensive?

Do they have no interest at all in finally fixing the online utility bill pay system that is--checks notes--still broken for many a full calendar year after its implementation?

There's no doubt that there will be a great many debates over what to do with our collective extra $5.5 million, I'm no different.

Personally, I think they should use it to push fixing our roads a faster process, but they won't.

It'd be nice if we could go full-on Ron Swanson and return it to the citizens. We'd get back roughly $160 per household in Lawton which would make up for 2022's utility bill cash grab, but the conditions of excess money written in the CIP won't allow for that.

By the book, the city council may decide to apply any portion of this $5.5 million to any project they can tie to categories such as...

Improvements to infrastructure - roads and such
Information technology systems - fixing the dang online bill pay
City beautification - a blank check for pet projects
Youth programs - sports, parks, etc...
Retail development

Those conditions also include public meetings with the citizens to discuss spending additional dollars, though the odds are heavily stacked that the city council has already decided how the funds will be spent. The meetings are really just for show.

If you'd like the opportunity to voice an opinion that will be likely ignored, the first meeting is at 2 PM on Tuesday, April 25 at Lawton City Hall.

Here's the full release.

Lawton's Worst Roads As Voted By You

Roads have always been a hot topic in Lawton. The local government always promises to fix them when elections are at stake, but the improvements never come. It's more of the same crumbling roads and bandaid patches due to what the city describes as "too little funding," even though we continually vote for bonds to satisfy these issues.

Here are the worst commonly used roads in Lawton as voted by you.

Closed Lawton Restaurants We All Wish Were Still Open

Do you ever get that bummer feeling when you're craving a meal that just isn't available anymore? Or better yet, not necessarily the food as much as the people and ambiance you grew up with? Hundreds of restaurants have come and gone in Lawton, Oklahoma, but here's a quick list of eateries we all wish were still around.

The Highest Rated Local 'Cheap Eats' Restaurants In Lawton

Sometimes you just cannot eat another bite of chain-restaurant food. There's a bit of comfort in the fact you can visit any location in the country and have the same meal, but it grows tired on the taste buds. Sometimes you just need something uniquely local and preferably within your budget.

While there are higher-rated restaurants in town, they come at a steep price. Paying $12 for a lime-washed beer or glass of wine crosses the border between eating a meal and paying extra for entertainment. Here are the highest-rated local cheap eats in Lawton according to Trip Advisor.

Source: City of Lawton, Oklahoma Needs Help Spending Tax Money

Categories: Government