Tulsa Primary Election-Martinson's sad defeat

[Pro Tulsa]

I am frankly disappointed that the voters elected Chris Trail to the City Council.  Although Bill Martinson may not have always used tact, he correctly pointed out that our current trend in public safety spending is unsustainable.  This was an inconvenient truth, particularly to the firefighters union.  Additionally, he spoke out and spoke the truth about the need for the City to spend much, much more on streets.  In my opinion, no other Councilor was more dedicated to deeply researching issues and wanting to get the facts before stating a position. 

Chris Trail will not be a good replacement for several reasons but particularly because he is beholdden to the firefighters for his election.  Additionally, from what I read in the Tulsa World, he has a less than stellar legal record, the most recent incident being his wife getting a restraining order against him.  I find it amazing that people chose him over Martinson.  I guess that shows sometimes fear and intimidation (as practiced by the firefighters campaigning on Trail's behalf) can win out over logic and truth with the electorate.

[FOTD]

ABSOLUTELY TRUE!!!!!!!

POST OF THE DAY!

[Hoss]

I am frankly disappointed that the voters elected Chris Trail to the City Council.  Although Bill Martinson may not have always used tact, he correctly pointed out that our current trend in public safety spending is unsustainable.  This was an inconvenient truth, particularly to the firefighters union.  Additionally, he spoke out and spoke the truth about the need for the City to spend much, much more on streets.  In my opinion, no other Councilor was more dedicated to deeply researching issues and wanting to get the facts before stating a position. 

Chris Trail will not be a good replacement for several reasons but particularly because he is beholdden to the firefighters for his election.  Additionally, from what I read in the Tulsa World, he has a less than stellar legal record, the most recent incident being his wife getting a restraining order against him.  I find it amazing that people chose him over Martinson.  I guess that shows sometimes fear and intimidation (as practiced by the firefighters campaigning on Trail's behalf) can win out over logic and truth with the electorate.

It could also mean that people saw what a doosh Martinson was/is...

[Wilbur]

I am frankly disappointed that the voters elected Chris Trail to the City Council.  Although Bill Martinson may not have always used tact, he correctly pointed out that our current trend in public safety spending is unsustainable.  This was an inconvenient truth, particularly to the firefighters union.  Additionally, he spoke out and spoke the truth about the need for the City to spend much, much more on streets.  In my opinion, no other Councilor was more dedicated to deeply researching issues and wanting to get the facts before stating a position. 

Chris Trail will not be a good replacement for several reasons but particularly because he is beholdden to the firefighters for his election.  Additionally, from what I read in the Tulsa World, he has a less than stellar legal record, the most recent incident being his wife getting a restraining order against him.  I find it amazing that people chose him over Martinson.  I guess that shows sometimes fear and intimidation (as practiced by the firefighters campaigning on Trail's behalf) can win out over logic and truth with the electorate.

Geez.  Kind of a sore loser.

I thought Martinson's speech last night after the election was in poor taste as well.

[Wrinkle]

Proof positive, anyone can fill a council seat.

Wouldn't it be great if we chose to put people there who looked out for us.

...maybe next year.

[Conan71]

I'm shocked Chris pulled this off.  I have developed an increasingly lower opinion of Martinson which has been the inverse of his ever-swelling ego.  I'm anxious to hear Martinson's sore loser remarks.

Whaaaah!  The firefarters beat me!!!

Call whine one one Bill.

[DowntownNow]

To all those that state all Martinson has ever did was to whine...show me one instance he has whined and I''ll show you 10 he's researched, analized, and questioned the status quo and most often to the betterment of the City as a whole than just to his District. 

What most, that often times ridiculed Martinson for a lack of activism for his own District, failed to understand was that in order to begin getting benefits for his own district, several wrongs across the city needed to be addressed first so that resources could then be properly directed to all districts on a proportional and need basis.  That included the City's budget, public works department, expenditures, etc.

Very few on the Council choose to discuss issues before them, preferring to simply stamp and pass rather than take a good look at them, how they impact not only their district but the City at large and ways things could be done differently to provide more efficiency and less expense. 

I have known Bill Martinson for a few years now.  He is a direct, to the point individual that would rather get to the issue than use up time on fluff and meaningless convo...sometimes that may come across as being without tact.  Its an efficiency thing...and given his background in manufacturing, his jobs as both a company president and as a Councilor, I can see and admire his direct approach to simply get to the matter at hand and move on for efficiency's sake.

Hoss, ever met the man and had a conversation with him?  I would tend to think based on comments you have made here, many might think the same thing about you, but what does stating that get you or them?

I wish Martinson had a lil more personality to offer and perhaps less 'get to business.'  I wished had used more of his time to campaign to people directly through public forum so they could connect with him.  As far as councilors go, we lost one that had the backbone and fortitude to go the distance on many of the issues that are at least important to me while maybe not being the "all is smiles and rainbows" kinda guy....but if it was, we wouldnt have the budget crisis, the poor streets, a $60 million ballpark with perhaps illegitimate funding, etc etc

[Conan71]

He is a direct, to the point individual that would rather get to the issue than use up time on fluff and meaningless convo...sometimes that may come across as being without tact.  Its an efficiency thing...and given his background in manufacturing, his jobs as both a company president and as a Councilor, I can see and admire his direct approach to simply get to the matter at hand and move on for efficiency's sake.

Hoss, ever met the man and had a conversation with him?  I would tend to think based on comments you have made here, many might think the same thing about you, but what does stating that get you or them?

I have met and had a conversation with Martinson.  When he's been challenged about his position on the $2 Bln street package he proposed, he resorts to terms like "idiot" and offers nothing but 9th grade allegories to explain why the $2B package was necessary and how stupid voters were for not seeing his obvious brilliance. 

Sorry, that kind of attitude doesn't play well with taxpayers.  I got news for Bill, the firefighters didn't vote against him, his constituents voted against him.  I did get a chance to read his comments in the World just now.  Sounds like his typical ego talking.  He's served, been a decent servant, but his attitude is what got him canned.  If he wants to run again in the future, he might want to humble down a little.

[RecycleMichael]

Martinson blew it with his last minute budget proposal. He had continually complained that Mayor Taylor presented stuff last minute without time for analysis, then he threw together a budget with unbelievable changes at 4:30 (an hour and a half before the meeting).

It wasn't what he said; it was when and how he did it. How did he think it was going to go down? Did he really think he had the votes to stall a budget vote even though the charter required a vote that week?

Another snapshot of his council work was on the street bond issue. He heard from the voters that they wanted a street package. He worked hard to come up with a package that solved the issue, but unfortunately the package was probably too expensive to pass and the majority of the councilors wanted a smaller bond package. Martinson was unable to convince enough of the councilors to agree with him. The research was fine, it was the unability to sell it that caused him to lash out at others.

I respect Bill Martinson and even voted and put out signs in my yard for him last time. He works hard to research the issues. But the job was more than that. It was also in getting at least four other councilors included in the research and agreeing to go along with your ideas.

Hard work ain't enough if you become hard to work with.

[Hoss]

To all those that state all Martinson has ever did was to whine...show me one instance he has whined and I''ll show you 10 he's researched, analized, and questioned the status quo and most often to the betterment of the City as a whole than just to his District. 

What most, that often times ridiculed Martinson for a lack of activism for his own District, failed to understand was that in order to begin getting benefits for his own district, several wrongs across the city needed to be addressed first so that resources could then be properly directed to all districts on a proportional and need basis.  That included the City's budget, public works department, expenditures, etc.

Very few on the Council choose to discuss issues before them, preferring to simply stamp and pass rather than take a good look at them, how they impact not only their district but the City at large and ways things could be done differently to provide more efficiency and less expense. 

I have known Bill Martinson for a few years now.  He is a direct, to the point individual that would rather get to the issue than use up time on fluff and meaningless convo...sometimes that may come across as being without tact.  Its an efficiency thing...and given his background in manufacturing, his jobs as both a company president and as a Councilor, I can see and admire his direct approach to simply get to the matter at hand and move on for efficiency's sake.

Hoss, ever met the man and had a conversation with him?  I would tend to think based on comments you have made here, many might think the same thing about you, but what does stating that get you or them?

I wish Martinson had a lil more personality to offer and perhaps less 'get to business.'  I wished had used more of his time to campaign to people directly through public forum so they could connect with him.  As far as councilors go, we lost one that had the backbone and fortitude to go the distance on many of the issues that are at least important to me while maybe not being the "all is smiles and rainbows" kinda guy....but if it was, we wouldnt have the budget crisis, the poor streets, a $60 million ballpark with perhaps illegitimate funding, etc etc

Met him twice; once at the BOK grand opening (I've stated as such before) and once out and about.  I asked him pointed questions regarding the construction situation on Admiral and got the brush-off political speak.  Second time, I asked him a question and he flat-out ignored me while looking me dead in the face.

That gets you called a doosh in my book.  And while people may think the same of me, I don't hold an elected office where you are supposed to play nice with others.  If you're going to be a doosh, then at least have a job or profession that doesn't exploit your dooshery in public when pressed on a question or two.

[rwarn17588]

Martinson wins the Sourpuss of the Year award.

For all of his good points about financial analysis and being fearless on certain issues, he p*ssed away those advantages by acting like a d*ck, basically.

That's is pretty stupid when you've won the last two elections by razor-thin margins. Martinson's support was already fragile; mending fences and acting like a courteous human being would have done a lot to bolster his base.

But he didn't, and so he loses and exposes himself as the petulant whiner he is.

And, frankly, I think Chris Trail won because a lot of people love his chili. And, no, I'm not kidding.

[Conan71]

It gets better:

I heard Martinson comment on KRMG news this afternoon that Chris Trail had "more baggage than a cruise ship".

Wow, talk about a sore loser.  Further fortifies my previous thoughts about Martinson.  Sorry, I don't even have enough respect left to call him "Councilor Martinson" anymore and I'm a believer in using elected officials titles when I refer to them out of respect for their job.

[Hoss]

It gets better:

I heard Martinson comment on KRMG news this afternoon that Chris Trail had "more baggage than a cruise ship".

Wow, talk about a sore loser.  Further fortifies my previous thoughts about Martinson.  Sorry, I don't even have enough respect left to call him "Councilor Martinson" anymore and I'm a believer in using elected officials titles when I refer to them out of respect for their job.

And just think, Conan, this doo...err....guy represented me since his election; I've lived in district 5 since I moved back to OK in 1994, be it at 15th & Memorial or near the Traffic Circle.

What a sore loser.  I'm not a fan of a lot of Republicans by any stretch of the imagination, but I've met Chris simply by going to Ike's, and have seen him since he opened his booth at the BOK Center as well.  He's a respectable guy and I think he'll do fine in the position.  Let's remember Scott Gomez was a greenhorn coming on to the council as well, IIRC.

I'd sure hate to see someone with the resources go digging into Martinson's past.  There might be some smoke there...or not.  But wouldn't it irk him to know someone was looking?

[sgrizzle]

Who's Scott Gomez?

[waterboy]

Friend of Eric Grizzle I suppose.