A week from today residents of Oklahoma City will have an opportunity to vote on whether to continue a one-cent sales tax to fund another MAPS project.

This project, dubbed MAPS 3, is the third project the city has funded through the sales tax.

Previous projects are responsible for much of the renovation that has taken place over the last 15 years in the Bricktown area of the city. The projects have also helped the city afford renovations to the Cox Convention Center.

MAPS 3, the project to be voted on Tuesday, would allow the city to construct a large central park, improved mass transit outlets and a destination-style convention center, in addition to several other projects.

We understand we are in a recession, and any projects that are not absolutely necessary may not be the wisest thing to spend money on now. But we see this project as necessary for large long-term economic benefits.

These projects would go a long way in making Oklahoma City a vacation destination that would attract people from within Oklahoma, as well as from surrounding states. And this influx of visitors would bring with them an influx in money, which would boost the city’s economy.

Furthermore, the projects may make OU students more inclined to stay in Oklahoma and around the metro area after graduation, which would help our local economy.

And it’s not like this would be an increase in taxes, as the Dec. 8 vote merely decides if an already existing tax will continue.

Finally, the projects, like a new Central Park-style park, would make life more pleasant for those who live in and around Oklahoma City.

While it is true that many OU students do not live in the city and therefore do not have a say in this decision, we heartily encourage those who do to pass MAPS 3.