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Weekly Update

08/08/08

STILL STANDING...WITH THANKS...last Tuesday's renewal of the Ponca City economic development sales tax will allow PCDA to continue and for this we are very grateful to the voters and to those who helped with the campaign. Not a dime of taxpayer money was spent on this so that everything the public approved and re-approved on Tuesday can be used to build the economy of Ponca City America. On behalf of the board and staff of PCDA, we thank you for your vote of confidence and your support.....not to mention the money.

ANNOYING ELECTION THINGS...stories in the press that kept talking about how the election would allow PCDA to issue and maintain debt. ARGH! The ballot language had to say that because since, there could be a need for debt sometime in the future if the deal was right. The reality, however, is that PCDA has no debt and does not want to incur any debt. The other big annoyance was low voter turnout. We know that satisfied people don't always feel a need to vote and it was the middle of July and it was hot and there were only a couple of other non-controversial things on the ballot but a few more folks would have been nice.

NICE ELECTION THINGS...let's start with the two to one margin of victory. It's great to win but it sends a better signal to the world that Ponca City strongly supports the economic growth of our community. Even nicer were the people who helped, the people who gave and the people who did brave the July heat to vote. Thanks to the Chamber of Commerce for their wonderful support and to the individuals and businesses that donated money to the campaign, (run entirely outside of the PCDA offices as noted above) to pay for ads, do mailings, etc.

REAL WORK...Wednesday morning did roll around and the real work was waiting, (right where we left it at 5 pm Tuesday night). This week PCDA staff met with three different companies on projects involving 110 jobs. Now that we know we'll have the resources to work with them, we can get real about the projects. We also did follow-up with two other companies involving another 80 jobs. We got a great report from a Silicon Valley visitor who was here last week that we're optimistic will lead to more high paying jobs locating in Ponca City. Construction on our two building projects for Continental Technologies and Encompass Tool progressed nicely this week as well. It was, to be sure, a very good week at PCDA.

INCUBATING SUCCESS...the new business incubator in Tonkawa received word this week that it had been certified by the Department of Commerce. This sounds like guv-speak but what it means is that businesses there, as in the Pioneer Tech incubator, receive significant tax advantages in addition to the help they get in an incubator. Growing businesses has proven more effective than just attracting businesses so we congratulate Tonkawa on this milestone.

UPCOMING...

 Sat. Aug. 2nd: Kawfest: Sandy Beach 9 am to 11:30 (concert on the beach in the evening)

 Thur. Aug. 14th: PCDA Board of Trustees August meeting; 7:30 am, Chamber of Commerce

 Thur-Fri Aug. 21-22: Call trip to Atlanta with the Oklahoma Department of Commerce

 

Ponca City Development Authority. 102 S. Fifth Street, Ste. 3, Ponca City, OK 74601

580.765.7070/580.765.0969-fax, email dmyers@goponca.com, www.goponca.com