Your engagement helps us create a better BA

We listen to you!

During our two-month public education campaign to share information about the propositions of the General Obligation Bond and the Public Sports Facilities Improvements initiative, we learned a lot about what is important to you. In fact, we had the privilege to meet with approximately 1,500 residents face-to-face. During most of our meetings with Homeowners Associations, civic organizations, and community groups during the education campaign, the conversations routinely shifted away from the upcoming election to questions and comments about day-to-day operations that you wanted to know about. Those were great conversations, and we are grateful to have had such open and honest discussions with so many of you! Your engagement helps us create a better Broken Arrow!

Whether we're talking with you somewhere around the city, reading your comments on the City's social media platforms, taking your phone calls, learning your opinions through the emails you send, or during the various public meetings and forums we host, City Councilors, Administration, and Staff are listening to you, the citizens of Broken Arrow.

We use your input to help us determine our city's path forward. We must have a collaborative relationship, built on trust, for us to maintain the great quality of life we enjoy in Broken Arrow.

We also took notes from those meetings and want to use those conversations as an opportunity to share information with the entire community. In the weeks ahead, we will release a series of articles that touch on many different aspects of municipal operations in Broken Arrow. Here's what you can expect to learn more about:

• The approval of the 2026 General Obligation Bond package including implementation and how the financing to pay for those future projects works.
• The voters' decision on Proposition 8 and more specifically, what's next to identify ways we can fund improvements at the public sports facilities.
• A breakdown of your property taxes. Where do they go? Who are the taxing entities that property owners help pay for? How are funds dispersed? How are the funds used?
• Utility bills for the public services provided by Broken Arrow. Information on the six services the city provides and comparisons to private utility services such as gas and electricity.
• Road infrastructure planning. What goes into the decision to widen a roadway or not widen a roadway. And the question we hear often, why doesn't the city widen a street before a development is approved?
• Road widening projects. We'll dive into the different phases of a widening project and explain why it takes so long, for instance, following voters' approval of street improvements in Proposition 1 of the GO Bond election until you see orange cones and construction?
• Street maintenance program and how it differs from road widening projects. There is a dedicated funding source for street maintenance that was approved by voters in 2016. We'll share how we spend the tax revenue to maintain city streets and the tools we use to determine the amount of life left in a roadway.
• Land use and development. We hear quite frequently that the city should just say no to incoming proposals from individuals or companies that wish to develop property those private entities own, especially new housing projects. We'll explain why we cannot do that and why every formal proposal submitted to us must be considered. We'll also give you a behind the scenes look into the development proposal process.
• Retail and business recruitment. Who wants a Texas Roadhouse restaurant or a bulk purchasing store like Sam's Club or Costco? We'd like those businesses to come to our community too! We'll share with you how our team works with site selectors and is consistently looking for opportunities to recruit and retain businesses for you to eat, shop, and be entertained right here in Broken Arrow. We'll also explain why these types of businesses are so important to help maintain our quality of life.
• NSU-BA campus growth update. NSU-BA first opened its doors for students in August 2001, thanks in large part to voters' approval of a half-cent sales increase that expired after the necessary funds were collected. In January of 2026, NSU began offering freshman and sophomore level courses which is an incredibly affordable option for students in Broken Arrow and the region to receive a high-quality education at a public university. We'll dive into our partnership with the university and what we're doing collectively to have an impact on the community.
• City audits. From time to time, we see comments from folks about the organization's stewardship of the public's money. We will explain the history of clean audits, what the reports cover, the recognitions and awards the organization has earned due to its prudent fiscal responsibilities, and how you can use our financial transparency portal to track how your tax dollars and fees are being spent throughout the year.

We're excited to take what we've heard from you over the past few months and do a deep dive to provide you with information you need and want to have a better understanding of how the employees of the City of Broken Arrow organization are working each day to serve you.

We've been listening and we'll continue to listen. If you have a question or comment for us, we'd like to hear from you. Here's how you can reach us.

• To report an issue around the city, use the My Broken Arrow Action Center app and click on the Report an Issue section. You'll see several different categories for you to choose from and to submit your concern.
• If you don't have an issue to report, but have a general question, go to the Contact Us page to leave us a message.

We hope you find our articles informative and beneficial. If you have an idea for a different subject, please let us know by sending us an email at [email protected].

Thank you for your time and as always, we look forward to working together with you to maintain and create a better quality of life in Broken Arrow.