VOICE was involved in supporting MAPS 4 human and community-centered projects like mental health facilities, upgrades to neighborhood parks, sidewalks and youth centers. Now, the group hopes to see an agreement that benefits all residents.

Fr. Luschen adds, “How will construction of the arena benefit average Oklahoma City families? For example, can we build in a living wage for arena workers? [H]ow will this project help regular families in our city?”

The OKC ordinance criminalizing panhandling has reached its inevitable end: The city has to pay lawyers for a lost legal battle. “It is sad that we did not heed the work of social service agencies and other citizens groups to craft a workable solution that would have avoided this costly situation,” said Fr. Tim Luschen, president of the VOICE Education Fund.

Oklahoma City was ordered to pay the opposing attorney’s fees and expenses in a total amount of nearly $1 million in a suit brought against the City for their panhandling ordinance of 2015, an ordinance VOICE fought against.

The Oklahoma City Council is considering appealing its unconstitutional anti-panhandling ordinance passed in 2015, this time at the U.S. Supreme Court. . . . Appealing it to the Supreme Court would require hiring expensive outside legal counsel to consult in the case.

“I think people have seen the impact that MAPS has had downtown,” Craghead said. “But they also see, in their daily lives, so many things that are still lacking.”

Candidates faced an audience at a packed First Unitarian Church on Sunday afternoon.