Bates offers Constructive Criticism

[Double A]

http://www.urbantulsa.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A18505

He hits the nail on the head and drives it home with a single, clean, crushing, blow. Kudos.

Bates should run against Randi "Brain Candy" Miller. The Commission needs a counter balance to the dead weight of John "SmallIQ" and Fred "Brain Dead" Perry.

[FOTD]

Agreed. Miller got way too big for her blouse.

When I read his article today I knew how Bates felt. I do not always agree with MB but will definately here. Good piece.

Piercy has done quite well financially for many years as the go to guy on bonds. And Michael points to conflicts which are troubling.

This was why I opposed 2025 from the git go.
"I tried to warn everybody but could not get across."

[Kenosha]

My god...Michael Bates could be an even bigger egomaniac than Chris Medlock.  

I counted the use of the words "me", "my" and "I" 17 times out of 1180 total words.

But it is the last line that really stands out:

quote: I don't care whether the county commissioners like me or not, but I'd like them to stop using me as an excuse not to do their jobs.

Who in the hell does this guy think he is?  He writes a blog and for the crappiest "alternative" weekly paper in the country, bar none.  Michael Bates is a citizen with a self perceived bully pulpit.  

I will admit, I may never be able to get over him blowing his top at the River meeting this past fall.  His credibility is permanently tainted in my eyes largely because of that.

[Chicken Little]

Well, the first reason the Commissioners wouldn't like him is that he opposed them on one of the biggest public projects this county has ever seen.

It is interesting that Bates continues to forward this storyline, i.e., that the County is sitting on mountains of money and has enough V2025 surplus to do whatever they want.  He's been harping about huge surpluses since before the V2025 vote.  

It apparently doesn't matter that EVERYBODY at the County is sick to death of telling him the same thing over and over and over.  I've seen and heard this more times than I can count...along the lines of, "the county does not have a surplus, does not expect to have a large surplus, and will not know, one way or another, for a long time whether a surplus exists".  That's what they have been saying, anyway.

Refusing to accept the answers that have been handed to you is one thing.  I say that Michael should doggedly pursue the facts.   So, what has he done?  Has he filed any Freedom of Information Act requests?  Has he sued the county?  Has he done ANYTHING to find out the facts, or is he simply publishing rumors?

I get it.  He's not a journalist.  He doesn't know how to investigate and he's not obliged to learn.  But he's been holding onto this "money-mountain" theory for a long time now, and it ain't going anywhere.

[Friendly Bear]

quote:Originally posted by Chicken Little

Well, the first reason the Commissioners wouldn't like him is that he opposed them on one of the biggest public projects this county has ever seen.

It is interesting that Bates continues to forward this storyline, i.e., that the County is sitting on mountains of money and has enough V2025 surplus to do whatever they want.  He's been harping about huge surpluses since before the V2025 vote.  

It apparently doesn't matter that EVERYBODY at the County is sick to death of telling him the same thing over and over and over.  I've seen and heard this more times than I can count...along the lines of, "the county does not have a surplus, does not expect to have a large surplus, and will not know, one way or another, for a long time whether a surplus exists".  That's what they have been saying, anyway.

Refusing to accept the answers that have been handed to you is one thing.  I say that Michael should doggedly pursue the facts.   So, what has he done?  Has he filed any Freedom of Information Act requests?  Has he sued the county?  Has he done ANYTHING to find out the facts, or is he simply publishing rumors?

I get it.  He's not a journalist.  He doesn't know how to investigate and he's not obliged to learn.  But he's been holding onto this "money-mountain" theory for a long time now, and it ain't going anywhere.

Michael Bates asked a simple set of questions of the Tulsa County Fiscal Officer Mr. Smith:

1. How many bank accounts hold sales tax proceeds or bond proceeds from Vision 2025? Where are the accounts held, and how much money is in each account?

2. What is the schedule for repayment for each Vision 2025 bond issue?

3. How much Vision 2025 money has been committed but has yet to be paid out? For each obligation, how much is due and when?

For the Tulsa County Fiscal Officer NOT to readily have at hand the information to answer these very basic public accountability questions is reflective of the unaccountable, patronage dumping ground, good-old-boy County Ring of mediocrity also know as Oklahoma county government.

As to Mr. Bates' courses of action, I think he has:

1)  A full-time job.
2)  Provides a weekly OPINION column to UTW.
3)  Provides a weekly radio OPINION on KFAQ-AM.
4)  Publishes an active Weblog at www.batesline.com
5)  Is actually married and is raising a young family.

As a certified TulsaNow.net Mud-Slinger, can you claim ANY of those five foregoing accomplishments?

I do not think that Bates has EVER claimed to be a "journalist", unlike the majority of the reporters from the AGENDA-DRIVEN Lorton's World claiming journalist credentials to which their palpable bias negates their bogus claim to any professional standing.

They work as Propaganda Kommandos for the local Lorton Oligarchs Daily Werker Proganda Ministry.

Bates is one of the few Seekers-after-the-Truth to populate local Public Policy discussion.

TulsaMetroChamberPots TulsanNow Echo Chamber detractors hardly qualify as Seekers-after-the-Truth........

[RecycleMichael]

You guys are rough on Michael...

I argue with Michael Bates as much as anyone, especially during election season when he always endorses republicans. But he is usually writing about topics that interest me, especially his recent articles on TIF districts and the local neighborhood preservation efforts.

I agree that this most recent article was not his best work and he falls into the same trap as some others do about including yourself and the way you are treated into the story. This is one of the things that David Arnett always does as well that drives me crazy. It is proof that they are not journalistic pieces, but personal commentary.

I admire Michael for continually writing interesting articles and for convincing the alternative paper to carry his stuff. I am more of an establishment guy, but have to respect those who challenge authority sometimes as well.

[tim huntzinger]

Soooo the entire premise for the article is that someownehe heard Fred Perry may have said something about him (Bates)? Weird. Why not call him directly?  Having said that, can anyone with the County answer his simple questions?  (It can be frustrating, remember.)

[Conan71]

You might have missed it, but a letter or guest op-ed from Fred Perry appeared in UTW several weeks ago.  He went on the offensive on MB.  I don't think the last line in his column was an ego fix at all.  When I read Perry's column I had the same reaction Bates did.

I don't see anything egomaniacal in the article as Kenosha pointed out.  The use of "me" and "I" is necessary because the man is relating his personal frustration at trying to get a straight answer to a question every single citizen of Tulsa County has a right to know at any given time.

Instead, he encountered elected officials and un-elected bureaucrats who should know the answer without even thinking.  They didn't have a clue what the answer was or feigned ignorance.  He was finally directed to an "un-paid overseer" of county funds who has zero obligation for accountability to taxpayers.  I'm certain John Piercey made a personal mint brokering the V-2025 bonds.  Either he told me or I read in his column that it took at least three weeks to get an answer out of Piercey.

There is absolutely no question that the answer to the question "How much do we have in surplus collections and projections?" has been conveniently mobile to fit the situation.

He and Brian Ervin are the best investigative journalists we have in the area.  He doesn't throw softballs, and he pokes his nose in where other journalists are afraid to.  I don't agree with everything Michael writes and have disagreed with many of his endorsements.  I've met the guy, I talked to him at length during the River Tax campaign and found him to be a concerned citizen who just wants simple answers we all should know.  He has a measure of influence and respect within the city.

That's fine if you want to pass him off as a conspiracy nutjob.  But ask yourself why the County is being so secretive about how much of YOUR tax money they have collected and what it has been committed to?  If they aren't being secretive than the only other answer is they are incredibly deft and obtuse in handling YOUR money.  Neither are acceptible reasons.  As a competent county commissioner, I would demand to have an on-going knowledge of county funds. (No that's not the start of a future campaign pitch [])

Lump me in with Friendly Bear if you like, but the Tulsa County commission has a very rich history of being molested by commissioners and a close gaggle of friends who have benefitted greatly from public tax money.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by tim huntzinger

Soooo the entire premise for the article is that someownehe heard Fred Perry may have said something about him (Bates)? Weird. Why not call him directly?  Having said that, can anyone with the County answer his simple questions?  (It can be frustrating, remember.)

You left out the part where they pinned him down and he was screaming "Don't taze me bro! Don't taze me! Aaaaaaaaaaaghhhh!"

[Friendly Bear]

quote:Originally posted by recyclemichael

You guys are rough on Michael...

I argue with Michael Bates as much as anyone, especially during election season when he always endorses republicans. But he is usually writing about topics that interest me, especially his recent articles on TIF districts and the local neighborhood preservation efforts.

I agree that this most recent article was not his best work and he falls into the same trap as some others do about including yourself and the way you are treated into the story. This is one of the things that David Arnett always does as well that drives me crazy. It is proof that they are not journalistic pieces, but personal commentary.

I admire Michael for continually writing interesting articles and for convincing the alternative paper to carry his stuff. I am more of an establishment guy, but have to respect those who challenge authority sometimes as well.

Michael's weekly UTW Column is clearly labeled Op/Ed.

He writes an Opinion column.  

When he sometimes writes an Investigatory-type of Opinion column, like the ones the Wall Street Journal has been famous for, I do find his Opinion columns supported by a firm foundation of structured analysis.

I think he is one of the brighter bulbs in a generally dismal local political scene, eclipsing Sell-Out Simonson and Sam-the-Sham Roop as a voice of measured public integrity.

Core Question:  Why CANNOT someone of Michael Bates caliber get appointed to one of the multitude of local city or county government Boards, Committees or Authorities?  

How about Michael Bates on the TDA or TMUA?  

Or the Tulsa County Fairgrounds Authority?  

He lives near the Tulsa County Fairgrounds, and has been a keen observer on the scene of their neighborhood association for YEARS.

Answer:  He's too DANGEROUS to the local controlling Oligarch Families and the Tulsa County Good-Old Boys Ring to allow him a seat at the table.

They like things JUST THE WAY THEY ARE.

And things locally will just continue to go from bad to worse.  Their patented solution:

JUST RAISE TAXES.

A solution endorsed by the TulsaMetroChamberPots, promoted by the Lorton's World Echo Chamber News-Editorial/Editorial-News articles, and amply funded by our recycled tax dollars from the Good-Old-Boy Heavy Construction and Road Construction Cartel, plus associated crony attorneys, bond underwriters, engineers and architects.

[)]

[Wrinkle]

I agree with Conan, DoubleA and Bates.

Anyone who had kept up with the goings-on would know why that article took on a personal tact.

IAC, he's right, the County should know where our tax money is and all aspects of how it's spent. To date, they've provided no answers in figures or statements. "There is no surplus" is quite insufficient accounting. And, relying upon and unaccountable "upaid over-seer" for economic concerns is dereliction of their elected duty.

If they are unable to produce adequate justification in the near future, it becomes an issue of gross negligence, which is impeachable.

[sgrizzle]

Bates did run for city council and serves as a representative of the oklahoma republican party. he obviously does have some desire and ability to hold positions.

[Friendly Bear]

quote:Originally posted by Wrinkle

I agree with Conan, DoubleA and Bates.

Anyone who had kept up with the goings-on would know why that article took on a personal tact.

IAC, he's right, the County should know where our tax money is and all aspects of how it's spent. To date, they've provided no answers in figures or statements. "There is no surplus" is quite insufficient accounting. And, relying upon and unaccountable "upaid over-seer" for economic concerns is dereliction of their elected duty.

If they are unable to produce adequate justification in the near future, it becomes an issue of gross negligence, which is impeachable.

2003 passage of Vision 2025 gave the Tulsa County Ring a brand-new $Billion Piggy Bank for the next 13 years, with the Lion's Share of the new taxes flowing to four prominent local families:

Flint, Rooney, Lorton and Kaiser.

Since Michael Bates CANNOT get answers to three relatively simple, straighforward accounting questions that any company Controller, CFO or even a County Fiscal Officer should readily know, then the next question might appropriately be:

Is someone STEALING the Taxpayers money, and is Mr. Smith being told to look the other way, or else?

All County positions are patronage appointments: Fired at Will.

[}:)]

[cannon_fodder]

Bates and I have been into it on this very board before.  More than a few times I have chimed in against his ideas in other threads.  He is ultra conservative, a conspiracy theorist, and has a heightened sense of self worth.

But he does a good job.  

I do a horrible job of keeping our politicians on the straight and narrow.  I have come to believe that there is a small group (who meat once a year at  secret meeting place in Colorado known as, the Meadows) who have their hands in nearly everything that happens in Tulsa.  AND that they cash in on most of it.  

So what do I do?  I sit back and complain and vote in the next insider in a few years.

Kudos on at least being a thorn in the side of the powers that be.  I don't think I agree with the extent of the conspiracy, but I do think any college educated citizen with internet access should be able to find the answers to his questions on the county website (you cant).  Without transparency, we need Michael Bates to keep the heat on.

[tim huntzinger]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

You left out the part where they pinned him down and he was screaming "Don't taze me bro! Don't taze me! Aaaaaaaaaaaghhhh!"

Taze Remix, also kewl.