City to Increase Mowing for PGA

[Bumby]

17 cents per gallon is already too high...I voted and voted no back in 2005.  The state needs to spend the money they already collect for motor fuel tax instead of diverting it to non transportation needs.

While I realize that federal monies had been appropriated years before the 2001 resurfacing of 244, I am still amused by Tulsa's efforts to put lipstick on a pig for the PGA. I'm glad this dog and pony show comes to town periodically.  

Hopefully, this mowing effort will allow a clear line of sight of oncoming traffic. My attention is often diverted as I navigate Tulsa streets. I welcome any elimination of preventable abstractions.

[swake]

quote:Originally posted by Bumby

17 cents per gallon is already too high...I voted and voted no back in 2005.  The state needs to spend the money they already collect for motor fuel tax instead of diverting it to non transportation needs.

While I realize that federal monies had been appropriated years before the 2001 resurfacing of 244, I am still amused by Tulsa's efforts to put lipstick on a pig for the PGA. I'm glad this dog and pony show comes to town periodically.  

Hopefully, this mowing effort will allow a clear line of sight of oncoming traffic. My attention is often diverted as I navigate Tulsa streets. I welcome any elimination of preventable abstractions.

Of course you voted no.

We have bad highways because we have the seventh lowest fuel tax in the nation, the diversion in the past of a portion what little money the state collected to the general fund was just a bonus. Toss in ODOT screwing the rest of the state for OKC highways and the story is complete.

http://www.energy.ca.gov/gasoline/statistics/gas_taxes_by_state_2002.html

We get what we pay for. There is no free lunch.

[swake]

quote:Originally posted by 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?

Hey Mr Union backer, isn't it ironic that the reason that the city courses lose money, and that the county courses make money is that the city has to use Union labor to do the upkeep on the courses and the county doesn't?

By the way, the courses aren't being sold or closed, either the county or a private group is going to run the courses for the city, without the Union labor cost that is killing the cost structure for the city.

[waterboy]

Swake is right on with his remarks on this thread. We are becoming a city of whiners who are not willing to put up with any real or perceived problems. Our failures are not personally Taylors or LaFortune's poor management, even though LaFortune made that a difficult argument. Our problems are systemic and directly related to the low tax rate in Oklahoma, the craziness of our city having one tax source for capital maintenance (sales tax) and the strength and corruption of the county system of government.

Who in their right mind would not want to spruce up the city a bit when company is coming. And I don't even like golf.

[swake]

quote:Originally posted by 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.

And, the grass on I-44, that's the state's responsibility to mow. Again, not the city of Tulsa.

Quit the blame the city game. it's the state we all should have a real issue with.

[TURobY]

Woah, calm down Swake. YoungTulsan didn't say anything about the City. There was an observation made, and you assumed that it was an attack on the city. []

And I'm glad that the City is doing some housework for the PGA. But it always makes me wonder why we can't move with such intensity all the time.

If it is the state that is not consistently mowing properties, then you are right that we should be upset at the state (and no one has argued against that). Could you be pro-active and possibly provide a telephone number that we can contact so that we can voice our opinions to the state? I would love to call and let the state know that I am upset by the grass situation along the highways.

[swake]

quote:Originally posted by TURobY

Woah, calm down Swake. YoungTulsan didn't say anything about the City. There was an observation made, and you assumed that it was an attack on the city. []

And I'm glad that the City is doing some housework for the PGA. But it always makes me wonder why we can't move with such intensity all the time.

If it is the state that is not consistently mowing properties, then you are right that we should be upset at the state (and no one has argued against that). Could you be pro-active and possibly provide a telephone number that we can contact so that we can voice our opinions to the state? I would love to call and let the state know that I am upset by the grass situation along the highways.

Sorry, I was not intending to attack you or youngtulsan, I am after the whine and don't pay for any cheese crowd. His location that needed mowing was just a good example of an area that needs mowing that this crowd has complained about and the spot is not even mowed by the city. And the state has plenty of money, is flush with oil money and is doing nothing to help cities and yet they aren't mowing either.

[Double A]

quote:Originally posted by swake

quote:Originally posted by 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?

Hey Mr Union backer, isn't it ironic that the reason that the city courses lose money, and that the county courses make money is that the city has to use Union labor to do the upkeep on the courses and the county doesn't?

By the way, the courses aren't being sold or closed, either the county or a private group is going to run the courses for the city, without the Union labor cost that is killing the cost structure for the city.

How can that be the case, when our city employees are paid below the regional average even for private courses. She sure didn't have any problem keeping the courses open after the huge public backlash to closing them? Did you you really think you could throw off my game by baseless attacks on Unions? The mayoral mismanagement and misplaced priorities are to blame IMO. Since you brought up city employees and Kathy Taylor, I thought you might want to hear how our city employees feel about Kathy Taylor. From Urban Tulsa weeekly: "Morale is horrible (on the police force)," said one officer, who didn't want to be named as he gave his boss such a mediocre rating.

"Morale is at an all-time low from her lack of backing us and lack of positive feedback, plus I've never seen a Democratic mayor who was so anti-union in my life," he added.

He also cited "how she handled the chief situation" as a factor in his rating.

[swake]

quote:Originally posted by Double A

quote:Originally posted by swake

quote:Originally posted by 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?

Hey Mr Union backer, isn't it ironic that the reason that the city courses lose money, and that the county courses make money is that the city has to use Union labor to do the upkeep on the courses and the county doesn't?

By the way, the courses aren't being sold or closed, either the county or a private group is going to run the courses for the city, without the Union labor cost that is killing the cost structure for the city.

How can that be the case, when our city employees are paid below the regional average even for private courses. She sure didn't have any problem keeping the courses open after the huge public backlash to closing them? Did you you really think you could throw off my game by baseless attacks on Unions? The mayoral mismanagement and misplaced priorities are to blame IMO. Since you brought up city employees and Kathy Taylor, I thought you might want to hear how our city employees feel about Kathy Taylor. From Urban Tulsa weeekly: "Morale is horrible (on the police force)," said one officer, who didn't want to be named as he gave his boss such a mediocre rating.

"Morale is at an all-time low from her lack of backing us and lack of positive feedback, plus I've never seen a Democratic mayor who was so anti-union in my life," he added.

He also cited "how she handled the chief situation" as a factor in his rating.

Firefighters and Police often dislike mayors that make budget choices that impact them. It's an American tradition. Look at the anti-Giuliani  FDNY group that has popped up recently.

And, add to that this: Tulsa's police force is a mess. Top to bottom.

I know a number of officers and I hear things. First and foremost, it's not uncommon for a large percentage of the force to put in far less than 40 hours in a week. And then charge overtime for any time spent outside of shift time. I don't know names and I don't want to, but I hear it's quite common.

I have heard of cases of very dirty cops that never made the news. And some that did. I recall the one officer recently that made the news that was taking money from drug dealers and giving up informants. Those informants might easily have ended up dead. A TPD officer potentially adding directly to Tulsa's too high murder rate. Think on that. I've also heard other stories like that and they don't make the news.

The vast majority of officers do a great job for all the right reasons, but there are a lot that don't, and keep their jobs. That has to be fixed.
Do you remember that report about problems at the top of TPD that got Lafortune in trouble? He may have handled it badly, but his handling of the report didn't change the particulars of the report. TPD is a sick organization, and it's not Taylor's fault or even really LaFortune's.

I personally don't think the issues can be solved by someone from the inside. Taylor is making the right choice by going outside. Fixing TPD is going to take new leadership that does not have a vested interest in any current part of TPD.

[RecycleMichael]

DoubleA would have complained about Mayor Taylor if she did make an effort to add extra mowers before the PGA or if she had not done anything.

If you ask 100 people should the city spend extra time and money to try to spruce up before thousands of wealthy visitors and televison crews from around the world come to town...99 of those hundred would say yes.

DoubleA is the other one.

[Double A]

Especially when that mayor was elected based on broken campaign promises to give our police and firefighters the resources they need. Instead we have a divided police department that feels like it is under attack from the Mayor's office and morale is at an all time low. I can't say I blame them considering that the Mayor used them as political pawns to pander to Hispanic socioethnic special interest groups by spreading fear that our officers would engage in widespread racial profiling if we checked the immigration status of inmates booked into our jail(which is a ridiculous claim in and of itself). She should be ashamed of herself for slandering our officers that way, she owes them an apology for that.

[rwarn17588]

Somebody call the waaaaaahhhmbulance.

[RecycleMichael]

The internal problems and morale issues in the police department were evident during the LaFortune admistration.

You just want to blame Mayor Kathy Taylor for everything. Your act is getting old.

[swake]

quote:Originally posted by Double A

Especially when that mayor was elected based on broken campaign promises to give our police and firefighters the resources they need. Instead we have a divided police department that feels like it is under attack from the Mayor's office and morale is at an all time low. I can't say I blame them considering that the Mayor used them as political pawns to pander to Hispanic socioethnic special interest groups by spreading fear that our officers would engage in widespread racial profiling if we checked the immigration status of inmates booked into our jail(which is a ridiculous claim in and of itself). She should be ashamed of herself for slandering our officers that way, she owes them an apology for that.

Ah, race baiting. Nice.

[Kenosha]

quote:Originally posted by 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?

Hey!  You say stupid stuff sometimes AA.

No I don't think...by the way.