Vanguard Moving Out of Tulsa....

[RecycleMichael]

I see your point, but it is contingent on a "major" company. I think that would be hard to define. BOK...maybe, especially because so many Tulsans have their banking with that company. I doubt the rental car company has as many Tulsa customers.

I like to do business with local, but I have to admit that when I rent a car, price is my number one issue.

I just think having politicians speak on local employment issues is fine, but you shouldn't expect it. We hire a Mayor to run our city government and usually they have very few tools to bring about economic development. The Chambers, both locally and from the state have that direct assignment. I remember a Mayor not long ago, Dick Crawford, who thought his entire job was to bring jobs here. Everything in the city fell apart and the Chamber started having task forces deciding city decisions like water rates and trash collection. That role reversal was a bad time for the city, in my opinion.

I think it is great that Mayor Taylor comes from a commerce background and has brought in great people to work on this. She even decided to forgo her salary in order to hire an economic development director.

[MichaelBates]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

quote:Originally posted by RecycleMichael

Despite all the bear poop on this thread, the Mayor has nothing to do with her husband's business.

There is consolidation in many industies. This company went from bankruptcy to buyout and Tulsa gained lots of jobs from the process.

I understand RM.  Far be it for me to interfere with the free market... but it IS a really good opportunity to find out WHY companies move out of Tulsa.  Is it just that the established HQ in St. Louis has more pull, or is it a better market for business than Tulsa?

Seeing that she is married to the man heading a company leaving Tulsa, I'd kind of think a comment would at least be in order.

Didn't she take some credit for bringing Vanguard to Tulsa in her campaign for mayor?

[cannon_fodder]

We are not entirely on different pages.

I would not bother defining major as I do not think it should be an official policy.  But unofficially, if a company employing 20+ people closely related to a politician were to move I'd be curious to get some insider scoop.   Not ENTITLED, but hopeful.  Vanguard is a Fortune 1000 (500?) national company... it is big time.

As for Mayor Taylor in general, I'm disappointed for many reasons.  Foremost is an absence of much  positive happening under her leadership.  I hoped we were getting the CEO she portrayed herself as, but as far as I can see it's status quo (I'm not as astute as you so I'm sure there are things).   Call center jobs, slow development, no road plan... nothing bold.  Nothing I really hold against her (except the City Hall move I guess), just disappointed.

[Friendly Bear]

quote:Originally posted by MichaelBates

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

quote:Originally posted by RecycleMichael

Despite all the bear poop on this thread, the Mayor has nothing to do with her husband's business.

There is consolidation in many industies. This company went from bankruptcy to buyout and Tulsa gained lots of jobs from the process.

I understand RM.  Far be it for me to interfere with the free market... but it IS a really good opportunity to find out WHY companies move out of Tulsa.  Is it just that the established HQ in St. Louis has more pull, or is it a better market for business than Tulsa?

Seeing that she is married to the man heading a company leaving Tulsa, I'd kind of think a comment would at least be in order.

Didn't she take some credit for bringing Vanguard to Tulsa in her campaign for mayor?

Vanguard announced their move to Tulsa when Kathy Taylor was running for Mayor.

Just a coincidence?

[inteller]

quote:Originally posted by MichaelBates

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

quote:Originally posted by RecycleMichael

Despite all the bear poop on this thread, the Mayor has nothing to do with her husband's business.

There is consolidation in many industies. This company went from bankruptcy to buyout and Tulsa gained lots of jobs from the process.

I understand RM.  Far be it for me to interfere with the free market... but it IS a really good opportunity to find out WHY companies move out of Tulsa.  Is it just that the established HQ in St. Louis has more pull, or is it a better market for business than Tulsa?

Seeing that she is married to the man heading a company leaving Tulsa, I'd kind of think a comment would at least be in order.

Didn't she take some credit for bringing Vanguard to Tulsa in her campaign for mayor?

yeah, I wonder how long she had to lay there for that?

[RecycleMichael]

quote:Originally posted by Friendly Bear
Vanguard announced their move to Tulsa when Kathy Taylor was running for Mayor.

Just a coincidence?

Stop lying bear...you have no credibility...

Vanguard announced their move to Tulsa in 2004...Mayor Taylor decided to run for office in 2006.

http://www.businessfacilities.com/bf_04_04_analysis1.asp

[cannon_fodder]

quote:
Published on January 30, 2004, Page 1A, The Miami Herald
Source: PATRICK DANNER AND ERIKA BOLSTAD, pdanner@herald.com
The new owner of Fort Lauderdale's Alamo Rent A Car and National Car Rental is moving its headquarters to Tulsa, Okla., further thinning the ranks of major companies that call South Florida home. Vanguard Car Rental USA, formed to oversee the two car-rental chains after their assets were purchased out of bankruptcy in October, intends to create 700 jobs in Tulsa. Just how many will come from South Florida has yet to be determined. About 700 people are employed at. . .

In all fairness, she was Oklahoma Commerce Secretary when this happened and she DID take credit (along with economic incentive policies) for luring them to the state. The newspapers in South Florida all pointed to that fact as THE reason and why would she deny it?  

Also, on her campaign materials she surely made note of the fact that her husband headed a company that employed many people in Tulsa:

quote:Mayor Taylor is married to Bill Lobeck, CEO of Vanguard, the owner of National and Alamo Car Rental which employs over 600 people in Tulsa . . .

Again, not that this is particularly damning to her nor that it is a focal point.  I just think it is a good opportunity to find out why jobs would leave Tulsa.  At least some insight.

But now we are just beating a dead horse.

[Friendly Bear]

quote:Originally posted by RecycleMichael

quote:Originally posted by Friendly Bear
Vanguard announced their move to Tulsa when Kathy Taylor was running for Mayor.

Just a coincidence?

Stop lying bear...you have no credibility...

Vanguard announced their move to Tulsa in 2004...Mayor Taylor decided to run for office in 2006.

http://www.businessfacilities.com/bf_04_04_analysis1.asp

She DID take credit for the move of Vanguard to Tulsa DURING her election campaign.

I wasn't lying.

Just re-arranging my comments accordingly......harrumph!