Don’t expect much improvement
Don’t expect much change from the Tulsa City Council in the next two years.
After pledging to not air differences in public, at least two councilors let the public know they disagreed with some of Mayor Kathy Taylor’s policies and how she is running the city.
The election doesn’t hold much hope for things to get better.
Here are the recommendations of the Tulsa Beacon for voters:
District 3 - Incumbent Roscoe Turner
District 4 - Eric Gomez
District 6 - Kevin Boggs
District 8 - No recommendation (Bill Christiansen versus Austin Hansen)
District 9 - No recommendation (G.T. Bynum, Phillip Kates and Paul Tay)
Charter questions: Yes and yes
Taylor controls the mainstream Tulsa media. She is in bed with the Tulsa World, which routinely tests her new policies before she has to expend political capital on screwball ideas (remember the fire district tax?).
Most TV stations are no better. They routinely show her reading to kindergarten kids, jogging with minority students and basking in the glow of the downtown arena. They don’t study the cost of the new city hall, her relentless drive to raise sales tax and property tax and her mean-spirited managerial style.
Taylor understands that the “carrot and stick” method almost always works with this council. Play ball with her and you get “rewards.” Stand up to her and you get vilified in the Tulsa World. That’s politics in Tulsa.
The next real chance for change will be in 2010 (maybe 2009 if the election cycle is changed on April 1).
Conservatives, which includes most Tulsans, need to rise up and find a strong candidate to defeat Taylor and her cronies on the council.