Whoahh there... Who has "almost doubled [their] population in the last 30 years or so..."??
City of Tulsa population:
1950 182,740 28.5%
1960 261,685 43.2%
1970 331,638 26.7%
1980 360,919 8.8%
1990 367,302 1.8%
2000 393,049 7.0%
2010 391,906 −0.3%
Est. 2012 393,987
The City of Tulsa has doubled its population in the last 55 years or so, not 30. In the past 30 years or so (32 years to be precise), Tulsa's population has increased only 9.2%
Tulsa Metropolitan Area population:
1960 503,090
1970 574,229 14.1%
1980 711,652 23.9%
1990 761,019 6.9%
2000 859,532 12.9%
2010 937,478 9.1%
Est. 2012 951,880 1.5%
The Tulsa metro area has almost doubled its population in the past 50 years or so, not 30. In the past 32 years, the metro population has increased 33.8%.
Got me! Couple things went wrong with that, leaving my 'guesstimate' way off. Started with 1970 to the 2010 numbers on this page for the state population - not just Tulsa - the first lack of clarity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_OklahomaSecond fuzziness; went through the "ten, twenty, thirty" year thing in my mind and stopped before getting to 2010 (maybe said 30 twice?) - and then slipped a couple more years for the 2012 estimate of 3.814 million. And when I did the guesstimate of doubling, I didn't use the calculator - should actually be 50% increase over those 40 years. Playing fast a loose with the mental calculations... I used the calculator today.
Which brings us up to date and back to the real point - and makes what I was saying even more problematic. We as a state have grown about 50% in the last 40 years (is that better?). And we now have water issues starting to poke through the curtain (allusion to "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain..."). As noted in a couple previous posts.
What would happen if we "got our way" and grew 300% in the next 40 years? Or even just 100%?? The whole question and discussion of infrastructure of all types for this state is the 800 lb gorilla. Couldn't find a comprehensive history of water usage for OK yet (still looking)...if anyone knows of one, would appreciate the link. The results of the drought are still being felt here.
300% growth in 40 years would be an incredible mess, considering the "internecine warfare" we engage in in the state between different areas. OKC will get the roads and big chunks of infrastructure, while at the same time suing the snot out of the Indians for the water in southeast OK. Tulsa area will continue to suck hind **** for development of everything from education to roads to hat pins. Texas will keep suing us to force us to sell them water, since they actually have been getting that mega-growth that we are lusting after. And Arkansas just keeps on dumping their chicken carp on us.
What I would like to do is get people to start to think about other approaches than standard "growth" tactics to help develop and improve the state related to incomes, standard of living, quality of life, education, healthcare, and yes - infrastructure, etc. All the things we are #46 at in the nation. First, we should stop the slipping of all those things, and reverse the trends/path we are on now. It AIN'T gonna happen with "business as usual" method of just attracting some more call centers, big box stores, or ANY other minimum wage type businesses. We are only a little under 4 million people, with amazing resources, people, and talent in the state...we should be as rich per capita as Dubai, or Kuwait.
In case there is lack of clarity up to this point - that previous paragraph has the big points I would like for readers to take away from this.
Don't get me wrong about big box stores - I would love to have a Costco here. They pay noticeably better than the other big boxers, and treat employees noticeably better, according to all the surveys/studies. It would be a breath of fresh air. But they DID open their first store in a very much more progressive city and state - Seattle, WA, so I guess that would be expected more than something from Arkansas. I put up the definition of "progress" elsewhere - good read for Oklahoman's of all ages.
But, good shot at trying to divert attention....will now work even harder to be more concise in the future.
As an aside, Texas population has gone from 11 million in 1970 to 25 million in 2010. They passed our current population in 1910. So if we really want to participate in the kind of action I keep hearing blathering about - the only rational choice would be to move to Texas - it's already happening there!
https://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ref/abouttx/census.html
