Municipal Corporations
This chapter focuses on Article XVIII of the Oklahoma constitution, which concerns municipal corporations. Section 1 recognizes the power of the legislature to create municipal corporations and define their powers, but puts certain limitations on that power. In Oklahoma, cities possess no inherent power or authority, but exercise only those powers expressly granted, or incidental to powers expressly granted, by the state of Oklahoma. Section 3(a) provides for the framing and adoption of a charter, while Section 3(b) focuses on the election of a board of freeholders. Meanwhile, Section 4(a) through Section 4(e) deals with the powers of the initiative and referendum. Section 5(a) provides that “no municipal corporation shall ever grant, extend, or renew a franchise, without the approval of a majority of the qualified electors residing within its corporate limits, who shall vote thereon at a general or special election.” Lastly, power over the city streets within municipalities is reserved to the state, but cities have been delegated full power to control and regulate the streets. Cities may, for instance, use this delegated power to regulate parking.