Oklahoma City to consider updates to capital improvement plan

The roughly $162 million worth of the projects without a current funding source sounds less daunting when compared to the unfunded projects in recent plans. The state requires Oklahoma City to update its spending plan every two years, and the unfunded portion has dropped from 12 percent two years ago and 15 percent four years ago.

The council will work on the capital plan into October before adopting it. The in-depth meetings and longer time frame give the council time to work out new funding sources, as it has in previous plans, city Budget Director Doug Dowler said.

Funding options

Most of the projects included in the $2.5 billion, five-year capital improvement plan already have a dedicated funding source. But new needs always crop up. One of the pricier items currently in the unfunded category of the plan is a new radio system for the city's public safety services.

“The manufacturer of that radio system is not going to continue supporting that after 2015, so we're going to have to have a new radio system or take on the responsibility for supporting that ourselves,” Dowler said.