Owasso: Tulsa's Economic "Wars" on suburbs

[Composer]

From the Owasso Reporter:

Presentations from staffers at the city's monthly Owasso Economic Development Authority ranged from discussion of road work in progress to new businesses looking at Owasso retail space March 12, but the substance of those discussions evolved into City Manager Rodney Ray's take on what he termed the city of Tulsa's economic "wars" on some of its suburbs.

Responding to discussion by the group about the city's decision to convince Stone Canyon developers to agree to install a gravity-fed sewer line through the area, rather than a forced main system, Ray alluded to the "wars" he said were waged with utility improvements that effectively "walled off" Tulsa's suburbs.


"There were three major economic wars waged by the City of Tulsa against, in the 80s, Broken Arrow, in the 90s, Jenks, and in the 2000s, Bixby," Ray told the group. "And those wars were waged with the weapons of the city running major infrastructure lines of wastewater and water to the edge of their city limits.

"In Broken Arrow, they built the 71st Street corridor with no paybacks, with nothing," Ray continued, "just public money to wall off Broken Arrow from the retail opportunities that would have been eligible for them."

Ray said Jenks and Bixby received the same treatment from Tulsa.

"They walled them off economically," Ray said of the suburb communities. "They walled them off with that war. And the use of public money—when you don't get a payback on that—is somewhat unconscionable for the taxpayers."

The engineering work on the controversial Stone Canyon project—the 76th Street Interceptor project—is 95 percent complete, with the environmental report under review, according to Public Works Director Roger Stevens.

[cannon_fodder]

I don't get it.

We use Tulsa money to build infrastructure for Tulsa within Tulsa's city limits.   Tulsa does not spend Tulsa money building infrastructure for or "paying back" the suburbs.  The retail then moves in on the edge of city, where it can service existing Tulsa business and growing suburban business.   

I must be missing something.

Most development takes place in "the city" and ancillary development takes place on the outskirts.   That's why they are suburbs - they survive by siphoning people and business away from the core.   Frankly, if a suburb turns into a giant cesspool people can just avoid it.  If the core declines significantly it drags all the suburbs down with it.

Someone fill me in on what I'm missing here.

[Neptune]

Someone fill me in on what I'm missing here.

Paranoia and Politics

If it were ever found out that Owasso and all of its recent developments were a natural extension of Tulsa's suburban flight, Rodney Ray might be out of a job.  He has to continuing pumping his fist, saluting the flag, setting up the artillery, digging trenches, and claiming himself victor. 

Every time a fast-food chain comes to Owasso,  Rodney Ray does a victory dance.  Not sure whether or not Owasso "buys it"; they probably do.

The idea that Owasso is somehow entitled to receive gifts from Tulsa (besides the gift of existence for Owasso)  is misguided at best.

[carltonplace]

This seems to be a growing thought process in Owassa [sic] that the citizens of Tulsa somehow owe them something or that Tulsa wants something from them.

See the Tulsa World article in today's paper http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20090317_16_A1_TulsaC288290 where Smaligo continues his battle with Mayor Taylor over the downtown assesment for the ball park. This is obviously an extension of his move to get Tulsa to pay to keep inmates in the jail.

The amount being challenged is about $102,000, or two-thirds of the $155,000 the county is scheduled to begin paying in fiscal year 2010.

"We felt like there was not a direct benefit to our taxpayers," said County Commissioner and Budget Board Chairman John Smaligo.

Some of my property tax goes to Tulsa County and is used to pay his salary. I don't feel that I get a direct benefit from that.

The people of Owasso are reveling in all of their new development and in the fact that they have been labled a "boom town". What they don't see is that their development is all strip malls and big box stores. There isn't a single bit of character in the entire town other than the banners that tell you what your character should be. None of this is sustainable and their fortunes could easily change if the area loses favor with people buying homes. All of their growth is dependent on adding roof tops with an influx of people that have disposable income to out to eat every night.

[FOTD]

The people of Owasso are reveling in all of their new development and in the fact that they have been labled a "boom town". What they don't see is that their development is all strip malls and big box stores. There isn't a single bit of character in the entire town other than the banners that tell you what your character should be. None of this is sustainable and their fortunes could easily change if the area loses favor with people buying homes. All of their growth is dependent on adding roof tops with an influx of people that have disposable income to out to eat every night.

Mr. Ray thinks his community is entitled.
The devil's opposition to 2025 was due primarily to the suburban issue.....
Wow....city is at war with the county and suburbs. Go Mayor!

[Townsend]

You need new signs.

[Ed W]

Wasn't it Councilor Medlock who wanted to triple the water rate charged to Owasso in an effort to stifle growth? 

[cannon_fodder]

Wasn't it Councilor Medlock who wanted to triple the water rate charged to Owasso in an effort to stifle growth? 

I believe it was to fairly compensate the citizens of Tulsa for their wise investment in infrastructure.   

Tulsa should serve as a metro water provider at pennies above a break even rate (which should go into a reserve fund).  It makes economic sense for everyone in the region and likely will result in higher quality water throughout.   Plus, as a metro water supplier we have more clout with the State and Feds if/when infrastructure improvements or expansion is needed.