Tulsa Police Chief Talks About Cuts

[Nik]

These are the questions being asked of our mayor and councilors and we aren't getting answers.  I have had several emails back and forth with Westcott and he hasn't addressed any of my specific questions regarding funding.  Period, nothing. 

Have you tried emailing Martinson? 

[Red Arrow]

I thought Smart Cars (the little ones from Mercedes) were being used in the River Parks areas.

[tulsa_fan]

Have you tried emailing Martinson? 

An officer told me tonight he called him over 200 times before he finally got a call back.  Maybe I should hire him an aide (and issue he mentioend over and over tonight) so he can address his citizens. 

The answers were worthless, but I will have to say I was pleased to get a response. 

I think there is much more work to be done, I am glad to see some of the council pursuing options to help the budget shortfall.

[Hoss]

An officer told me tonight he called him over 200 times before he finally got a call back.  Maybe I should hire him an aide (and issue he mentioend over and over tonight) so he can address his citizens. 

The answers were worthless, but I will have to say I was pleased to get a response. 

I think there is much more work to be done, I am glad to see some of the council pursuing options to help the budget shortfall.

Why does that not surprise me about uber-doosh Martinson...

[shadows]

The urbanization of Tulsa didn't start yesterday. I started in 1940 as governments prepared for getting into the war in Europe.  They assumed controls over all production of which they became the only buyer.  Then came Douglas to Tulsa and "Rosie the Riveter" took off  the kitchen apron taking a job in the defense plants while the young men were installed in the army.  When it ended in the mid forties the rural areas were migrating into the city. The flood of making up for the war years production that was available to the citizens brought sweeping changes thus creating a golden economy.  The over production and under production brought swinging changes in the life styles in the urbanization which changed the single wage earner to dual wage earners.  There is no way to pin the apron on Rosie the Riveter and place her back in the home.  From the ashes came blotted city, state and national governments who found all sources of ways to tax and spend the citizen workers wages.  History teaches us that there is a limit to the amount of taxes the working citizen can pay.

The dilemma of the budget shortage has been because the citizens have enjoyed the golden years and let the city government run wild with uncalled for expenders as they created more little kingdoms than exist in the Mid-East, dedicated to preserving their turf. We have the CC putting out information that would suggest you cannot walk down the street unless some employer drags you inside and puts you to work.   Then with the influx of job seekers arriving it is we have increasing homeless and unemployment. They are only replacing those who are exiting the city and taking their tax base with them. 

It is time the citizens wake up and take a look at the essentials needed to operate the city along with the deep conflict of interest screened by the  smoke and reduce the labor costs across the board.  The Budget is merely imagination in the lands of fantasy as bureaucracies demand more and more taxes.       

 

[patric]

Got to love the latest fear tactic spoon-fed to the media:

"One bad guy told an officer he is already planning his move if officers are laid off."

That was either the Burglars Union or the Fraternal Order of Pickpockets, dont know which the "bad guy" was with, but I hear their dues have to be paid in goods stolen from blind nuns and wrapped in a bow made from the intestines of kittens.

[shadows]

The articles in the TW today reflects the old cliché of don't watch the magicians right hand he extends forward, instead watch his left hand.  This should apply also to the bureaucracies the make up the city of supervisors.  With the proposed budget of over half billion dollars the emphases are being reduced to the citizens support departments such as FD and PD. 

With a shortfall of only 10 million dollars in a 500 plus million dollar budget percentage wise, the across the board reduction would be very small. This should include all funds held in trusts along with all surpluses. 

Then a cap should be placed on all salaries until such a time when we can annex all the suburban communities that are collecting our sales taxes in their developing malls by installing a metro government for them. 

The problem is how do you create jobs in a robot driven metro community?  Add more local government created jobs?  Buy more desks and chairs?     

[MH2010]

The "bad guy" was Delmar Anthony Long. He is a frequent flyer in the Judical system.

http://docapp065p.doc.state.ok.us/servlet/page?_pageid=394&_dad=portal30&_schema=PORTAL30&doc_num=573771&offender_book_id=347600

http://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/CaseSearch.asp?query=true&srch=0&web=true&db=Tulsa&icasetype=&iDATEL=&iDATEH=&iCLOSEDL=&iCLOSEDH=&number=&iLast=long&iFirst=delmar&iMiddle=anthony&iID=&iDOBL=&iDOBH=&SearchType=0&iDCPT=&iDCType=0&iYear=&iNumber=&icitation=&submitted=True

[patric]

The "bad guy" was Delmar Anthony Long. He is a frequent flyer in the Judical system.

If his name were "Willie Horton" it would still be a cheap device.

[dbacks fan]

The urbanization of Tulsa didn't start yesterday. I started in 1940 as governments prepared for getting into the war in Europe.  They assumed controls over all production of which they became the only buyer.  Then came Douglas to Tulsa and "Rosie the Riveter" took off  the kitchen apron taking a job in the defense plants while the young men were installed in the army.  When it ended in the mid forties the rural areas were migrating into the city. The flood of making up for the war years production that was available to the citizens brought sweeping changes thus creating a golden economy.  The over production and under production brought swinging changes in the life styles in the urbanization which changed the single wage earner to dual wage earners.  There is no way to pin the apron on Rosie the Riveter and place her back in the home.  From the ashes came blotted city, state and national governments who found all sources of ways to tax and spend the citizen workers wages.  History teaches us that there is a limit to the amount of taxes the working citizen can pay.

The dilemma of the budget shortage has been because the citizens have enjoyed the golden years and let the city government run wild with uncalled for expenders as they created more little kingdoms than exist in the Mid-East, dedicated to preserving their turf. We have the CC putting out information that would suggest you cannot walk down the street unless some employer drags you inside and puts you to work.   Then with the influx of job seekers arriving it is we have increasing homeless and unemployment. They are only replacing those who are exiting the city and taking their tax base with them. 

It is time the citizens wake up and take a look at the essentials needed to operate the city along with the deep conflict of interest screened by the  smoke and reduce the labor costs across the board.  The Budget is merely imagination in the lands of fantasy as bureaucracies demand more and more taxes.       

 

You don't remember or have forgoten that the Douglas plant, Air Force plant number 3 was closed at the end of WWII, and not reopened until the mid 50's. This is when Tulsa became an aviation industry that grew until the 80's. During that time Tulsa had Douglas which became McDonnell/Douglas, North American Rockwell, and the AA maintenance facility. During the 50's 60's and the 70's Tulsa's aviation industry riviled the oil industry. At one time Tulsa had the big three, oil, aviation, and electronics, with Telex in the electronics. Let's not forget that most of the major players in oil, aviation, and electronics once based their headquarters in Tulsa. The change came with deregulation in the late 70's and into the 80's. And this does not include the rail industry that pased through Tulsa as a major hub.

[waterboy]

I thought Smart Cars (the little ones from Mercedes) were being used in the River Parks areas.

They are. I got a ride in one of them once. They are fast, nimble, economical and robustly built. They would be fine as neighborhood patrol vehicles.

Back in the early sixties the force bought a fleet of economical, easy to handle Studebaker Larks. The cops hated them and replaced them with the more powerful Dodge sedans thus setting a standard. I imagine the local ford and chevy dealerships would resent buying lots of little benzes as well.

[waterboy]

The urbanization of Tulsa didn't start yesterday. I started in 1940 as governments prepared for getting into the war in Europe.  They assumed controls over all production of which they became the only buyer.  Then came Douglas to Tulsa and "Rosie the Riveter" took off  the kitchen apron taking a job in the defense plants while the young men were installed in the army.  When it ended in the mid forties the rural areas were migrating into the city. The flood of making up for the war years production that was available to the citizens brought sweeping changes thus creating a golden economy.  The over production and under production brought swinging changes in the life styles in the urbanization which changed the single wage earner to dual wage earners.  There is no way to pin the apron on Rosie the Riveter and place her back in the home.  From the ashes came blotted city, state and national governments who found all sources of ways to tax and spend the citizen workers wages.  History teaches us that there is a limit to the amount of taxes the working citizen can pay.

The dilemma of the budget shortage has been because the citizens have enjoyed the golden years and let the city government run wild with uncalled for expenders as they created more little kingdoms than exist in the Mid-East, dedicated to preserving their turf. We have the CC putting out information that would suggest you cannot walk down the street unless some employer drags you inside and puts you to work.   Then with the influx of job seekers arriving it is we have increasing homeless and unemployment. They are only replacing those who are exiting the city and taking their tax base with them. 

It is time the citizens wake up and take a look at the essentials needed to operate the city along with the deep conflict of interest screened by the  smoke and reduce the labor costs across the board.  The Budget is merely imagination in the lands of fantasy as bureaucracies demand more and more taxes.       

 

Somebody wrote that for you didn't they? Some of your points are pretty good. The fifties had us floating in money and we quite simply made some bad (but popular) decisions. I'm curious as to what city or government you think has done a good job assessing the essentials to operate a city and then budgeted that amount and no more?

[shadows]

bdacks; Waterboy: Being familiar with the airport and the smoke screens that engulfed its operations in the 50's.  I worked on the air conditioning of the bomber plant before it opened.  Was associated with the person who built the building used to melt the A26's down when the plant closes.  I installed the first air-condition produced by Zink in a house for Mr. Woodhead that was sent in from California by Douglas to reopen the plant.  Then the plant was declared surplus and Douglas offered to purchase it for around 7m dollars and the city said it was worth twice that and ask the building and all the machines be given to them. After they received the building and machines, free from the government, they signed a sweetheart deal with AA and they have continued to pass the roses on to them.   Same story with the school bus operation.  There seem to be no available information of number of  residents of Tulsa that are employed in the two sweetheart operations.

Back to the storytellers on how the citizens support system will be impaired by reducing their numbers.  Under the charter the Mayor has the sole authority to regulate a budget to conform with the revenue gathered from the working poor.  The charter calls for the council to meet twice a month to stamp approval on the Mayor's actions.  In the event there is a dissention from a councilor that councilor can be called individually by the mayor on the carpet to explain their objection.  The mayor is obligated to appoint a police chief and dictate to them the prevailing terms on how the department is run.

Unions were never authorized by statute or code to take over the running of a city or county.  Union contracts should be approved by a vote of the citizens not by a hand picked group.   This in the instant case the charter change (amendments) placed dictatorial  powers in the hand of a few after three attempts to pass it.  This is what the people voted for.

Have fun skipping through the tulips and singing "bring the tax base back from the suburbs".

[Jason]

If we don't want to use the EMSA surplus, that's fine, then give it back to the people that paid it and do it immediately.  Why was there no CUT CUT CUT for EMSA when they said they couldn't afford to operate?  Did the people vote to put a $3 fee onto our bill to fund EMSA?  Why was their quick response to find additional money sources for EMSA but that can't happen now for public safety.

Think about it... EMSA was funded because no other agency in Tulsa is currently able to provide the same quality care at the same cost. TFD is not currently capable of doing it and so EMSA had to be funded. As for the "surplus". EMSA gave back well over a million dollars to TFD/City of Tulsa, to help fund the medical response that TFD feels they need to do. Yesterday at the counsil meeting, someone asked EMSA where that money was. The answer was  almost startling. Steve Williamson stated simply, "I dont know, I wrote you the check". So Emsa gave the money and it was put with all the other foolishly managed money. It looks likeTFD never got that money or they did and blew it on things it was not intended for. The rest of the "surplus" as I understand it is to be used for future support, same as the "trash" money.
How about this... Lets not start poking at other well managed agencies, and focus on where the city's money has gone. When there is a leak in a bucket of water, you have to repair the leak before putting more water in.

[TheTed]

They are. I got a ride in one of them once. They are fast, nimble, economical and robustly built. They would be fine as neighborhood patrol vehicles.

Back in the early sixties the force bought a fleet of economical, easy to handle Studebaker Larks. The cops hated them and replaced them with the more powerful Dodge sedans thus setting a standard. I imagine the local ford and chevy dealerships would resent buying lots of little benzes as well.

In the mean time, cops who aren't in a hurry to get somewhere can stop wasting my money by flooring it at every stoplight. I can't count how many times I've seen a cop on a downtown one-way street, where the lights are timed to 20-25mph, floor it once the light turns green, only to wait at the next light instead of the much more efficient slow acceleration to 20mph, thus carrying your momentum through the subsequent stoplights.