Good Editorial, Michael Bates

[MH2010]

quote:Originally posted by tim huntzinger

quote:Originally posted by MH2010 It will probably come back to bite them like canceling two police academies.

Just heard on KRMG that crime went down despite the cancelled academies.  The spokesman credited extra hard work by the TPD for this.  Sooooo crime goes down TPD takes the credit, crime goes up TPD is helpless.

As far as the Master's comments about Taylor they are purely partisan.  Why no editorial about the Sherriff's inability to schedule a sit-down with our Congressman?  Why did it take the Congressman so long to let Tulsans in on the secret that TPD needs to feed numbers to ICE to order an extension office?  And what was Sullivan's Chief of Staff doing in Mayor LaFortune's office talking about the City's police chief during that scandal?

Nope, let us not talk about that or T-town's falling crime rate.  Let us take pot shots at Lady Kathy.  More parfuffle and dribble from Urban Tulsa Weakly.

In 2006, we were almost back to our authorized strength.  That is the crime statistics KRMG is talking about.

[cannon_fodder]

I remain unimpressed by any of the elected leadership of Tulsa.  They either have no vision or do a poor job sharing it with the masses.  I make a half hearted attempt at staying informed and have little information as to what is going on - the average Joe who makes no effort must be totally clueless.

I'll be shopping for a new mayor in 3 years.  I hope we can find someone better.

[BASleuth]

Michael Bates, Agree with most of what you wrote in the editorial message.  

As a Republican, I made a difficult decision and voted for Taylor..now with regrets. Knowing the citizens of Tulsa voted for a Charter with provisions for civil service for city employees, now seeing every effort being made to destroy the provisions of the Charter, without a vote of the citizens of City of Tulsa. Since the provisions of the Charter were initially enacted in about 1957 it (the charter) has been subject to review by commission and now city council members, with no effort being made to revoke the provisions of civil service, except by violating it's process and procedures.  

We how have a "acting city attorney" for over five months, without any effort to secured a city attorney, we have an interim director of human services, we have a directive to follow the charter provisions in securing public defenders for the Tulsa Municipal Court, We have outside attorney hired by the Mayor to represent the city, thus should be defending the lawfully enacted Charter, and of course with have the private attorney to represent the mayor in her version of the powers she possesses. Now we have an interim Chief of Police who, according to the Tulsa World, has yet to be sworn into office.  Thus I have to concur the Mayor's actions have been and are a total disappointment.

[RecycleMichael]

During the four years of when LaFortune was Mayor, we got a new Police Chief, a new City Attorney, a new HR Director, a new head of the Airport, a new Parks Director, a new head of RiverParks, a new head of Tulsa Transit, and more I can't recall off the top of my head.

I don't recall the challenges from the public except for the Police Chief.

Is there a double standard because Kathy Taylor is a woman or is it because she is a democrat that you guys want to question her judgement?

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

During the four years of when LaFortune was Mayor, we got a new Police Chief, a new City Attorney, a new HR Director, a new head of the Airport, a new Parks Director, a new head of RiverParks, a new head of Tulsa Transit, and more I can't recall off the top of my head.

I don't recall the challenges from the public except for the Police Chief.

Is there a double standard because Kathy Taylor is a woman or is it because she is a democrat that you guys want to question her judgement?

The word "interim" makes it sound like she cannot make up her mind on anything.  At the very least, I'm wondering if there is some cronyism she wants to do but wants to make sure she can do it without wearing grey and white pin stripes.  

Maybe the problem is, she approaches her job as a CEO.  CEO's can operate in a vacuum and complete secrecy and don't have to justify any action except when called on the carpet by shareholders.  The difference as mayor is there are about 375,000 shareholders who, as taxpayers, have a right to a transparent and competent government.  Also, her employees are employees of the city, not a publicly or privately-held company which brings another set of rules with that.

I just feel that if crime was a top priority, we wouldn't be into, what, the fourth or fifth month of trying to figure out who will be the next police chief.  What is that doing for morale down at the cop shop?

As I said in Bruno's post, her party affiliation has absolutely nothing to do with my dis-taste for her job performance.  I'd be saying the same thing if she were a Republican.  I was ready to vote for her until a few trust issues came out during the campaign.

I voted for and was a fan of Susan Savage who was a Dem.

[Wilbur]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

During the four years of when LaFortune was Mayor, we got a new Police Chief, a new City Attorney, a new HR Director, a new head of the Airport, a new Parks Director, a new head of RiverParks, a new head of Tulsa Transit, and more I can't recall off the top of my head.

I don't recall the challenges from the public except for the Police Chief.

Is there a double standard because Kathy Taylor is a woman or is it because she is a democrat that you guys want to question her judgement?

Those new department heads replaced long-serving department heads who chose to leave on their own due to normal retirements.

If anyone believes Been, Bates, Jackerie and others left on their own under Taylor just has their head stuck in the sand.  You just have to look at how old they were when they chose to "retire" under Taylor.

I will agree with RM that many department heads change under a new mayor's administration, although, having been here for a couple decades, I haven't seen this many people "retire" under these circumstances.

Tulsa is unique for cities its size in that it grants civil service protection to department heads, which mean they can only be fired for cause.  Those who chose to "retire" early, usually do so because of political pressure because the mayor doesn't have the stuff necessary to fire them.

[MichaelBates]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

During the four years of when LaFortune was Mayor, we got a new Police Chief, a new City Attorney, a new HR Director, a new head of the Airport, a new Parks Director, a new head of RiverParks, a new head of Tulsa Transit, and more I can't recall off the top of my head.

I don't recall the challenges from the public except for the Police Chief.

Is there a double standard because Kathy Taylor is a woman or is it because she is a democrat that you guys want to question her judgement?

I had rather a lot to say about LaFortune's choice of City Attorney, as did the "Gang of Four" on the Council. And his appointment of Clay Bird and Sam Roop as Deputy Mayor and Chief Information Office didn't escape criticism from his fellow Republicans, either. You may even remember that there was a teensy bit of controversy over some of his board and commission appointments.

[tim huntzinger]

quote:Originally posted by MichaelBates


I had rather a lot to say about LaFortune's choice of City Attorney, as did the "Gang of Four" on the Council. And his appointment of Clay Bird and Sam Roop as Deputy Mayor and Chief Information Office didn't escape criticism from his fellow Republicans, either. You may even remember that there was a teensy bit of controversy over some of his board and commission appointments.

But what was the action line?  Where did you lead the faithful? Your whole jihad seemed geared to electing Chris and not inspiring accountability on behalf of GOP politicians.  You said a lot of things during the election, including the accusation that Henry Primeaux comped Mayor Bill a free car (and using your kid to take a pic of the vehicle? sheesh) because the Mayor was going bankrupt.  As interesting as all this back-office stuff may be, your stuff is little more than tawdry political gossip if, in the final analysis, you have one standard for your fellow Partisans and one for your opposition.

[MichaelBates]

quote:Originally posted by tim huntzinger

quote:Originally posted by MichaelBates


I had rather a lot to say about LaFortune's choice of City Attorney, as did the "Gang of Four" on the Council. And his appointment of Clay Bird and Sam Roop as Deputy Mayor and Chief Information Office didn't escape criticism from his fellow Republicans, either. You may even remember that there was a teensy bit of controversy over some of his board and commission appointments.

But what was the action line?  Where did you lead the faithful? Your whole jihad seemed geared to electing Chris and not inspiring accountability on behalf of GOP politicians.  You said a lot of things during the election, including the accusation that Henry Primeaux comped Mayor Bill a free car (and using your kid to take a pic of the vehicle? sheesh) because the Mayor was going bankrupt.  As interesting as all this back-office stuff may be, your stuff is little more than tawdry political gossip if, in the final analysis, you have one standard for your fellow Partisans and one for your opposition.

I began holding LaFortune's accountable for his actions shortly after he took office in 2002, when neighborhood leaders protested his decision to reappoint Joe Westervelt to the TMAPC. I haven't been any harder on Taylor than I was on LaFortune, despite the fact that I supported LaFortune in the 2002 primary and general election and was involved in his campaign.

The "action line" was for Republican voters to nominate someone in 2006 who would actually introduce the kinds of City Hall reforms and improvements that LaFortune promised. While a majority of Republican primary voters voted against LaFortune, that majority was split between Medlock, Miller, and Harper, and there are no runoffs in City of Tulsa elections, so LaFortune was the nominee.

In the general election, the choice was between LaFortune and Taylor, and I argued that re-electing LaFortune was the better option, particularly for conservatives. I haven't seen anything in Taylor's year in office to make me regret my recommendation, which you can read here:

http://archives.urbantulsa.com/article.asp?id=3232

Regarding LaFortune's car: I never accused Henry Primeaux of any wrong-doing, I never asked my kid or any other kid to take a picture of LaFortune's car, and I never said that Bill LaFortune was bankrupt. You can read what I actually wrote here:

http://www.batesline.com/archives/002137.html

[RecycleMichael]

I think you are confusing Michael Bates and Michael Delgiorno making these statements.

It is easy to get us Michael(s) mixed up.

I bag on Michael Bates because he uses innuendo and nuanced phrasing to attack people I support, but I don't unduly disrespect him for doing it.

He is a operative and official in the republican movement in Tulsa and Oklahoma. If I had a website and a weekly column, I would probably do the same but for just the other side.

But I also think that his words should be challenged sometimes...as should most of what most of us say on this site.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

I think you are confusing Michael Bates and Michael Delgiorno making these statements.

It is easy to get us Michael(s) mixed up.

So to avoid confusion, should I just refer to  Michael Bates, Michael Delgiorno, and yourself as un-recycled, spin-cycled, and recycled?

[tim huntzinger]

Do you have the segment where you discussed this on-air?  I know it is hard to disprove, but what you wrote is different from what was said.

[Rico]

"I began holding LaFortune's accountable for his actions shortly after he took office in 2002, when neighborhood leaders protested his decision to reappoint Joe Westervelt to the TMAPC. I haven't been any harder on Taylor than I was on LaFortune, despite the fact that I supported LaFortune in the 2002 primary and general election and was involved in his campaign."

Well Mister Bates I am so glad you clarified these points for us....

I for one thought you were opposed to LaFortune right up until Medlock lost his bid in the primary...

See... the way I remembered it... The both of you were opposed to LaFortune prior to the Primary... and I am so glad you did not think Clay, Sam, and eventually LaCroix were deserving of their positions..

Medlock made his opinion known from the beginning....






"In the general election, the choice was between LaFortune and Taylor, and I argued that re-electing LaFortune was the better option, particularly for conservatives. I haven't seen anything in Taylor's year in office to make me regret my recommendation,"




You see.. it is much more clear to everyone... when you come right out and say "you supported LaFortune in the Primary and General Election... "Simply said we all did not attend "Boston Tech." see there I even forget they changed the name to "Massachusetts Institute of Technology"  "MIT".........

Now I think I can begin to understand the campaign slogan... LaFortune Part Deux.


Finally; I am glad you clarified that "LaFortune was a Conservative Republican" See I would have described him as a Neo-Con Republican...

And I guess I would have been wrong.. Even though, when he attempted to be the District Attorney for a while, he pursued to Verdict a punishment of 99years... for a fellow that had MS or something...?  that got caught growing Marijuana in his home...
That man had the Verdict overturned anyway... so what the hay...

Even when Mayor LaFortune tried to tempt the PD with Higher Wages for their endorsement... When he knew he was in trouble... and then there were the smaller items regarding Milford Carter and the fellow that wanted to display Bible figures in the Zoo...



I just did not get it.... but you and Mister Medlock surely did....


And the rest.... as they say is History.. You are now over here on Tulsa Now.... making a particularly strong case against this self educated, liberal spending, lady that took the "Big Man's" jobee job...

Taking care of it quite handily... if I do say so myself...

It had to be... "Better the Devil I Know....Than the one I don't"


kinda a strange way to choose a leader but what do I know anyway.

[Double A]

In with the new boss, same as the old boss. Don't get fooled again.

[MichaelBates]

quote:Originally posted by Rico



"I began holding LaFortune's accountable for his actions shortly after he took office in 2002, when neighborhood leaders protested his decision to reappoint Joe Westervelt to the TMAPC. I haven't been any harder on Taylor than I was on LaFortune, despite the fact that I supported LaFortune in the 2002 primary and general election and was involved in his campaign."

Well Mister Bates I am so glad you clarified these points for us....

I for one thought you were opposed to LaFortune right up until Medlock lost his bid in the primary...

See... the way I remembered it... The both of you were opposed to LaFortune prior to the Primary... and I am so glad you did not think Clay, Sam, and eventually LaCroix were deserving of their positions..

In 2002, I supported LaFortune in the Republican primary in 2002, when he ran against Terry Simonson and Carlton Pearson, and in the 2002 general election, when he ran against Councilor Gary Watts, the 2002 Democratic nominee. In 2002, Susan Savage was the incumbent but decided not to run for re-election in 2002.

In 2006, I supported Chris Medlock in the 2006 Republican primary, when he challenged Bill LaFortune, who was the incumbent. Also in 2006, I supported LaFortune in the 2006 general election against the 2006 Democratic nominee, Kathy Taylor.

Clear now?