Hey Brad Henry, quit taking Tulsa's projects!!!

[T-TownMike]

More OKC BS from the governor. This time Gov. Henry has basically left Tulsa in the dust and taken a project that was slated for Tulsa in  the first place-he still wants to use YOUR TAX money, but he wants it for OKC. What am I talking about, you may be thinking...we'll I'm talking about the Indian Cultural Center that has been slated for Tulsa at the base of Turkey Mountain is being taken from you and If left up to Gov. Henry will soon become a reality for OKC. Tell Gov. Henry this unacceptable, please.


JAMES GIBBARD / Tulsa World
Gov. Brad Henry acknowledges people in the crowd awaiting his State of the State address Monday at the state Capitol.

   


By BARBARA HOBEROCK World Capitol Bureau
2/5/2008


He wants the Legislature to increase pay for teachers and state employees and to expand the school year.


OKLAHOMA CITY -- Gov. Brad Henry called Monday for raises for teachers and state employees, five more school days and increased physical activity time for elementary school students.

Henry delivered his sixth State of the State address to a joint session of the Legislature, which met Monday in the House chamber, opening the second session of the 51st Legislature. Lawmakers must adjourn May 30.

Henry's proposed state budget totals $7.3 billion, including an additional $138 million in spending.

In his 22-minute speech, Henry called for an average teacher pay raise of $1,200, weighted toward veteran teachers and those with advanced degrees, to bring salaries to the regional average. The proposal would cost $68.5 million.

He also wants a 5 percent pay raise for state employees, at a cost of $65 million for a full year.

Henry also said, "The length of Oklahoma's school year lags behind most other states and industrialized countries.

"That's why I propose we adopt the recommendations of Superintendent Sandy Garrett and the Time Reform Task Force and expand the school year by five days.

"This small step will help prepare our children to be more competitive academically."

State finance officials have said the state will have about $32 million in new money available for fiscal year 2009, which begins July 1. An additional $106 million is available in cash and from other sources.

Henry noted that recent legislation requires at least 60 minutes of physical activity in elementary schools, and he called on lawmakers to double that.

He also wants to put graduation coaches in schools, at a cost of $2.5 million, and fully fund endowed chairs at Oklahoma colleges.

Henry asked lawmakers to fund the Department of Corrections adequately and to build on drug courts, mental health courts and substance abuse treatment programs, including those inside prisons. His budget includes $21 million to tide the Department of Corrections over until the end of this fiscal year June 30.

He acknowledged that this is an election year but appealed to lawmakers to put aside partisan bickering and reactionary politics.

"We will face disagreements, but it is the civil exchange of ideas and respect for diverse viewpoints that make our democracy and our state strong," said Henry, who is in the second year of a second four-year term. "Together, we will find solutions that benefit all Oklahomans."

Henry's budget also calls for $189 million in bond issues, including $45 million for the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum under construction in Oklahoma City and nearly $25 million for the Office of Juvenile Affairs. The bulk of that money will be used to rebuild the L.E. Rader Center in Sand Springs.

Henry's speech was interrupted 24 times by applause.

However, the ceremonies turned somber when lawmakers participated in a moment of silence for former Rep. Opio Toure, D-Oklahoma City, who died Monday morning in an Oklahoma City hospital.



to contact Mr. Henry...
http://www.governor.state.ok.us/message.php

[T-TownMike]

I guess nobody gives a damn. It will still be funded by the state, so why did it have to go to OKC, when it was slated for Tulsa in the first place? OKC is out of control.

[TulsaEx]

In all fairness, the OKC Native American Cultural Center that he is talking about is a different project that was under development long before Tulsa started planning theirs.  

I remember being extremely frustrated that this was going to be built in OKC, when it is something that would be a much nicer fit in Tulsa.  As I remember, the initial funding was being done by a group of investors from Edmond and the Tulsa leadership was apathetic towards it, so it was planned for OKC along the riverbank.  This is part of the reason Tulsa's Indian Cultural Center project is having difficulty getting off the ground because many of the state's tribes have already committed money to the OKC project.

I still think it would be a better project for Tulsa, but they are actually pretty far a long with it in OKC.  They already have detailed architectural plans, significant money raised and a commitment for a tie-in with the Smithsonian.  They are planning a huge center that will cost about 10 times as the amount estimated for the Tulsa center.

If there is no way for them to change course and build this in Tulsa, then an equal amount of money needs to be dedicated to one or more Tulsa projects, such as:
The Race Riot Memorial
The Botanical Gardens
The River
Gilcrease/Philbrook
Aquarium/Zoo

[Renaissance]

I think they did a significant amount of dirtwork and then ran out of money and stopped work.  This would restart the process.

This fight should have been fought a couple years ago.  It's over now.

[TulsaEx]

Here is a link with some dated information about the OKC project.

http://www.okcommerce.gov/index.php?option=com_pressreleases&Itemid=528&id=406

It appears that Governor Keating approved the Educational Authority for it in 1994 and the site was selected in 1998.

Tulsans should have been upset that this was being planned for OKC and not Tulsa back then, but most people did not know about it or did not care.

Tulsans should now be upset that this is getting so much funding, while several Tulsa projects are not getting any of what was promised to them.

[sgrizzle]

The one slated for Tulsa is a different group.

[cannon_fodder]

Here's the basic deal:  Tulsa was going to get a partially state funded Indian Culture Center.  Now Oklahoma City will get 4 times the State funding for essentially he same thing.

The rest is just details (aren't the Cherokee, Osage, and Creek nations on Tulsa's door step?  Didn't the trial of tears end here?).

$60,000,000 for an NBA team, $40,000,000 for an Indian Museum... a cool $100,000,000 this year on 2 tourist projects for OKC.  But remember, we are bitter for no reason and OKC's success has nothing to do with Tulsa (or other State money) paying for it.

As I said in another thread, I'm starting to get very agitated.  Logical or not, I feel slighted.  What are our representatives doing?  Where's FB to declare this a "Tulsa Premium?"

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

Where's FB to declare this a "Tulsa Premium?"

[waterboy]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

The rest is just details (aren't the Cherokee, Osage, and Creek nations on Tulsa's door step?  Didn't the trial of tears end here?).

But remember, we are bitter for no reason and OKC's success has nothing to do with Tulsa (or other State money) paying for it.

What are our representatives doing?  

Note the subtext to Tulsa-Ex's remarks. Tulsa leadership expressed little interest and Tulsan's either didn't know or didn't care. Hard to harbor animosity for OKC when they are following a well known business maxim, "Lead, Follow or Get Out of The Way". Better to learn the lesson and focus on what we can do now. It hurts.

[T-TownMike]

Is there anything Tulsa can do to not have OKC earmark all the money for themselves? Things just seem a tad bit to skewed for my liking.

[PonderInc]

The National Park Service has designated a National Historic Trail that follows one (or more?) of the routes of the Trail of Tears.  Looks like all of the routes end in Tahlequah.

Here's a semi-informative .pdf from 2007:Trail of Tears NPS Historic Trail

[perspicuity85]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

The one slated for Tulsa is a different group.

That's correct, and to elaborate, the OKC group is called the Native American Cultural and Educational Authority.  The Tulsa group is called the National Indian Monument and Institute, Inc.  Here is NIMI's web site, with a picture of the proposed Tulsa project on the home page.  According to V2025 web site, NIMI signed a 99 year lease with River Parks to build at 71st and Elwood.

[TheArtist]

You know,,, this Tulsa project, and the indian statue for that matter, would have gotten a lot more traction if their designs had been more inspiring.

[Townsend]

quote:Originally posted by TheArtist

You know,,, this Tulsa project, and the indian statue for that matter, would have gotten a lot more traction if their designs had been more inspiring.

Not big on the Madonna boobs either huh?