Randy Miller MIA

[Townsend]

Any words on our county's future?  

Certainly there was a contingency plan.

(EDIT) I think I'm feeling bitter.  Aside from MichaelC's positive outlook I've lost the excitement I've had for development around here.

I do perk up with the reminder that we have alot going on.  I'm just bummed that this was poorly handled.  (Taylor's pissing off North side, the ad campaign for missing river children, Randi Miller's choice in lipstick color on her damned interviews.)

dammit

OK now this is just a pity party.  I'm moving it to discussion.

[patric]

"There's nothing. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity and there's not anything, there's no plans on the table," Miller says.

Miller said she tried to get that message across during the campaign. She says say goodbye to the millions of dollars in private donations too.

"It goes away... the private donors from the starts said if you invest in yourself in beautifying the waterways... then we will invest in the quality of life part," Miller says.

Miller believes if the private sector ends up developing the river...it will be a long time coming.

"Because I was so close to it, it was devastating to me because I don't see that this region will have a future to be able to have a future in the market place," Miller says.
http://www.fox23.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=4d509acd-6717-444f-932a-40f7559e67e6

So did this mean that all that generous private philanthropy was only on the condition that they be allowed to reach way down into the taxpayers pockets?  
Shocking...

[YoungTulsan]

I bet Kaiser will be back, maybe not next year, but soon.  He is not getting any poorer, thats for sure.  Last year his net worth was estimated at $8 billion.  This year it is over $11 billion.  If he continues to have such success with BOKF and Kaiser Francis, he could be one of the very wealthiest people in the entire world in a few years.  (Currently ranks 26th richest in America, closing in on Michael Bloomberg)

[inteller]

quote:Originally posted by YoungTulsan

I bet Kaiser will be back, maybe not next year, but soon.  He is not getting any poorer, thats for sure.  Last year his net worth was estimated at $8 billion.  This year it is over $11 billion.  If he continues to have such success with BOKF and Kaiser Francis, he could be one of the very wealthiest people in the entire world in a few years.  (Currently ranks 26th richest in America, closing in on Michael Bloomberg)

well what is think is pretty damning is that, aside from a few million here and there, no private donors have stepped up and made huge donations like their forefathers did.  The citizens have already taken the risk with V2025.  SO I'm still waiting what the rich cats have to offer up to match that.

[YoungTulsan]

I wont be suprised if the QuikTrip gift goes ahead as planned.  From what I heard, they had everything planned and ready to go, not just concepts.  They might hold off a little while to punish the no voters for a bit, and then proceed with it (The idea is to have this and the Camelot store open for their 50th anniversary)

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by YoungTulsan

I wont be suprised if the QuikTrip gift goes ahead as planned.  From what I heard, they had everything planned and ready to go, not just concepts.  They might hold off a little while to punish the no voters for a bit, and then proceed with it (The idea is to have this and the Camelot store open for their 50th anniversary)

As I understand, they said they had to start in a hurry. Of course they were planning on building a park around a pedestrian bridge.

[cks511]

Yesterday I watched many of you implode over the vote.  Please don't do that.  They will be back.  Don't you think for one hot second they are going to let that tax money go unclaimed.  I'm just waiting to see who the next big name is that will go after it.  It's all about the $$$$$$.

[waterboy]

quote:Originally posted by cks511

Yesterday I watched many of you implode over the vote.  Please don't do that.  They will be back.  Don't you think for one hot second they are going to let that tax money go unclaimed.  I'm just waiting to see who the next big name is that will go after it.  It's all about the $$$$$$.

They may. But so will all the aginners who share your cynical "follow the $$$" attitude. And there is no likely change with the burbs stance unless they can be bought off cause they're all about the $$$$. I think you underestimate the momentum that is declining.

[cks511]

Well, I beg to differ with you about the 'aginners.  We were being 'asked' to vote on a shakey plan that was being propped up by questionable motives. I think the Broken Arrow brochure ploy was hilarious.  If they will present a plan, do it with some integrity, then I will vote yes.  I did my job as a citizen Tuesday.  If people want to rant about the vote or go the extreme of packing their houses and moving, fine.  There won't be but a handful that act upon that idea.  I think what happened in Tulsa on Tuesday was an awakening of those of us who probably didn't care very much about Tulsa while growing up here.  I'm seeing a core of people who want things done right.  Some of them my friends who could have cared less about government when we were in college.  We started awakening with the channels, we'll finish when the right plan comes along.

My humble opinion ONLY.  Have at it.

[cks511]

'They' meaning someone ANYONE...now I'm going on vacation.

[swake]

The donations are gone, Rick Huffman of Branson Landing says his project is "off the table". You people blew it. You saved yourself something like $2 a month and blew off almost a billion dollars in river development.

Oh, and people in Jenks are looking into doing the dam there privately. Jenks, just like I said, will get it's dam, Tulsa is going to get nothing, for years and maybe ever. Good job fools.

[Townsend]

According to KOTV, QT's project is going to be "significantly scaled back" and "A third of those polled thought it was the Channels plan"

In the immortal words of the Peanuts gang, "aaarrrgggg".

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by swake

The donations are gone, Rick Huffman of Branson Landing says his project is "off the table". You people blew it. You saved yourself something like $2 a month and blew off almost a billion dollars in river development.

Oh, and people in Jenks are looking into doing the dam there privately. Jenks, just like I said, will get it's dam, Tulsa is going to get nothing, for years and maybe ever. Good job fools.

Quite a temper-tantrum Swake.  

Jenks getting it's own dam has been a possibility since before this proposal, that was made abundantly clear.  Vic Vreeland might want to take a closer look however at what's happening in Washington though.  It's looking like Bush is going to veto the bill which has $50mm in it for Inhofe to bring home.

Tulsa is owed Zink Lake improvements from V-2025 which, AFAIK were not contingent on Federal matching funds.

I think a lot of people like you are going to wake up one day and realize things can happen along the river w/o this tax.

I don't want to disparage Kaiser's generosity, but they could have done a little more due dilligence and figured out some way to be able to make this donation a year or two down line.  Assuming the assets of the family foundation are in the $1bln range as has been suggested elsewhere on here, in all likelihood, they are going to need to get shed of around $100mm per year.

The Houston Chronicle article you cited yesterday doesn't make mention of any $117 conditional philanthropic gifts, contingent on raising taxes, which have happened down there.

[Breadburner]

quote:Originally posted by swake

The donations are gone, Rick Huffman of Branson Landing says his project is "off the table". You people blew it. You saved yourself something like $2 a month and blew off almost a billion dollars in river development.

Oh, and people in Jenks are looking into doing the dam there privately. Jenks, just like I said, will get it's dam, Tulsa is going to get nothing, for years and maybe ever. Good job fools.

Meltdown in progress......

[breitee]

"A third of those polled thought it was the Channels plan"


Just goes to show how uninformed the average voter was.

(Or how ignorant they were)