City to Increase Mowing for PGA

[Steve]

Quotes from today's Tulsa World 7-14-07:

"Tulsa's medians, trails, vacant lots, and rights-of-way will be mowed more frequently in advance of the PGA Championship next month, city officials said Friday."

"Tulsa must absolutely be at its best as we host visitors from around the world.  We will...make a special push to make sure visitors see our city at its best."  Kathy Taylor

As Tulsa tax-paying citizens, does anyone else find the city's attitude and Kathy Taylor's remarks insulting?  As a resident and taxpayer that pays the salaries of city officials and maintenance workers, I expect our city to look its best all year round for me and all residents, not just when a bunch of overly rich golfers and golf fans in godawful outfits come to town.

The city blames recent rains on lack of mowing.  Pure B.S.  I have managed to mow my own yard a minimum of twice a week since April, rain or not.  

[swake]

quote:Originally posted by Steve

Quotes from today's Tulsa World 7-14-07:

"Tulsa's medians, trails, vacant lots, and rights-of-way will be mowed more frequently in advance of the PGA Championship next month, city officials said Friday."

"Tulsa must absolutely be at its best as we host visitors from around the world.  We will...make a special push to make sure visitors see our city at its best."  Kathy Taylor

As Tulsa tax-paying citizens, does anyone else find the city's attitude and Kathy Taylor's remarks insulting?  As a resident and taxpayer that pays the salaries of city officials and maintenance workers, I expect our city to look its best all year round for me and all residents, not just when a bunch of overly rich golfers in godawful golf outfits come to town.

The city blames recent rains on lack of mowing.  Pure B.S.  I have managed to mow my own yard a minimum of twice a week since April, rain or not.  

calling the Waaaaahbulance.

Tell us all about the troubles you've seen.

Twice a week. Fabulous.

[TURobY]

No, I definately agree. The city right-of-ways need to mowed more often. I just don't understand why every other city can do this, but we can't...

[AMP]

They would all be mowed, streets repaired, all the overhead street and highway lights would be operating properly if there were an NFL Football game coming to play here. LOL

Most any other type of promotion they would hand out a rental or usage fee for to event organizers.  

Stick and Ball Sports rule in Oklahoma don't ya know.  

[swake]

Which do you want, streetlights on, pools open, potholes fixed, more police, good fire coverage or more mowing? And I’m just sure you aren’t willing to pay anymore for anything are you?

Tulsa is a city, like many in Oklahoma, that is rich in available capital funds and poor in operational money due to cities near total dependence on sales tax for operational money in Oklahoma. Tulsa is in a crunch due to untaxed internet spending and the growth in suburban shopping. Simple.

So, the city of Tulsa is in the position of needing to leverage capital money, like the spending on the arena, downtown and in the river, to spur sales tax growth by encouraging infill development and visitors from both suburban areas and from outside the metro. This will then help alleviate the operational budget crunch. This is also pretty simple.

The situation with the PGA is the same. If a little extra spending on mowing and other items can provide a positive image to the world when we are on stage, then we may well be though of positively for all sorts of things, new offices, stores, residents. Who knows.

There will be tens of thousands of people visiting Tulsa, and many tens of millions watching on TV around the world. It’s time to put the city’s best foot forward. If you don’t understand that or more likely as just another damn whiner and probably just don’t care, then you are stupid and please move away soon. You aren’t wanted here. Your absence will improve the local gene pool.

[AMP]

When we produce one of our events in Oklahoma, we are greeted by the facility management and handed a list of itmes we are not allowed to do. Then given an ultimatum regarding running past 10pm with the penalty being a $500 fine and they also place engineers at the light switch to turn off the power so we cannot run past 10pm.  

At the conslusion we are presented with a bill that includes additional fees abover the rantal agreement for trash removal which was caused by the venue not following our instructions and although we ordered trash barrels for specific areas which were not delivered and set up, use of any chairs or tables, cost of sweeping the empty parking lots prior to and following our event, and any other fees they may think to add on.   I always wondered if the last organizer that rented the facility was also charged for sweeping prior to and following the event.  Onc thing for certain, the parking lot was clean both coming and going.  

One building we lease that has a parking garage beneath it, were not allowed to have dirt more than 12" deep due to the load limit on the floor, however they allowed the dirt contractor to drive a Semi Truck pulling a low boy trailer hauling a Front End Loader onto the same floor.
Then load dump trucks on the floor using the front end loader?  That one still has me wondering what the engineers that designed the multipurpose building were thinking when they drew up the plans.
 
Always a never ending educational process doing business in a City/County owned facility in Oklahoma compared to Texas, Kansas, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana.

I could wirte a book on it.

[Markk]

Good.  The grass will be mowed.  

The streets will still be a disaster.  The Section 8 housing within a mile or two of SHCC will still be there.  What a wonderful site for visitors to Tulsa to see a boarded up convenience store across the street from the tournament.  

[1shot]

Swake said "Tulsa is in a crunch due to untaxed internet spending and the growth in suburban shopping. Simple."

And why is this? Is it because the city of Tulsa seems bent on sending people out of the city to do their shopping? It sure seems like it at times.

1shot

[swake]

quote:Originally posted by 1shot

Swake said "Tulsa is in a crunch due to untaxed internet spending and the growth in suburban shopping. Simple."

And why is this? Is it because the city of Tulsa seems bent on sending people out of the city to do their shopping? It sure seems like it at times.

1shot

No, it's because suburban residents spend less money in the city.

[TURobY]

quote:Originally posted by swake

Which do you want, streetlights on, pools open, potholes fixed, more police, good fire coverage or more mowing? And I’m just sure you aren’t willing to pay anymore for anything are you?

[:O] I'm all for paying more if it means good services (roads, public safety, beautification). pancakes would have made you believe that I thought differently? (Just out of curiosity)

[TulsaSooner]

quote:Originally posted by swake

Which do you want, streetlights on, pools open, potholes fixed, more police, good fire coverage or more mowing? And I’m just sure you aren’t willing to pay anymore for anything are you?

Tulsa is a city, like many in Oklahoma, that is rich in available capital funds and poor in operational money due to cities near total dependence on sales tax for operational money in Oklahoma. Tulsa is in a crunch due to untaxed internet spending and the growth in suburban shopping. Simple.

So, the city of Tulsa is in the position of needing to leverage capital money, like the spending on the arena, downtown and in the river, to spur sales tax growth by encouraging infill development and visitors from both suburban areas and from outside the metro. This will then help alleviate the operational budget crunch. This is also pretty simple.

The situation with the PGA is the same. If a little extra spending on mowing and other items can provide a positive image to the world when we are on stage, then we may well be though of positively for all sorts of things, new offices, stores, residents. Who knows.

There will be tens of thousands of people visiting Tulsa, and many tens of millions watching on TV around the world. It’s time to put the city’s best foot forward. If you don’t understand that or more likely as just another damn whiner and probably just don’t care, then you are stupid and please move away soon. You aren’t wanted here. Your absence will improve the local gene pool.

Bingo.  Nail, meet hammer.

[YoungTulsan]

The grass grows much faster with all of these rains.  It is legitimate to link rains with mowing issues.  The grass at I-44 and Peoria is like 4 feet high for crying out loud.

[Bumby]

I want hiways/streets resurfaced...more canopies at the airport, orange barrels removed like magic from ongoing street projects, things we received before during PGA events. The city seems like a host that's had this guest many times..the house cleaning gets a little more lax each time.  Mulching the litter on 244 and putting up "PGA Visitors Exit Here" signs won't fool anyone.

[swake]

quote:Originally posted by Bumby

I want hiways/streets resurfaced...more canopies at the airport, orange barrels removed like magic from ongoing street projects, things we received before during PGA events. The city seems like a host that's had this guest many times..the house cleaning gets a little more lax each time.  Mulching the litter on 244 and putting up "PGA Visitors Exit Here" signs won't fool anyone.

Overall I don't think streets are awful, there are spots, and with all the rain we have had, there are going to be bad spots. But for the most part the streets are in fair to good condition.

Our highways are another story. They are deplorable and dangerous.

Guess what, the state maintains highways, not the city. And, tell me, did you vote yes or no on the state fuel tax for highways maintenance?

[Double A]

Isn't it ironic that Kathy Taylor is busy trying to close public golf courses to sell them at fire sale prices to her hand picked no bid private developers, while she is bending over backwards and sparing no expense to benefit a private golf course? Don't ya think?