State House Trying To Add Another Toll Road to I-44 in Tulsa

Image via Wikipedia

Our “conservative” Republican Speaker of the House, here in Oklahoma, Chris Benge, has introduced a piece of legislation that should have everyone in the Tulsa area seeing RED!”

Speaker Benge has introduced into committee, HB 3220, which creates a new Turnpike in Tulsa. Here are the details of this bill:

Session of the 52^nd Legislature

Bill No.: HB3220

Version: Introduced

Author: Speaker Benge

Date: 2/16/2010

Impact: Pending

Bill Summary

Research Analyst: Brad Wolgamott

The measure authorizes the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority to establish a new turnpike beginning at Interstate 44 near its intersection with 49th West Avenue, past State Highway 64/412, turning northeasterly, crossing 41st West Avenue, and continuing eastward to the L.L. Tisdale Expressway in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

It’s time to call a spade a spade! Speaker Benge is a RINO, who has led a GOP Majority in the State House, down the road of a Liberal, Tax and Spend philosophy, which has been no better than the previous, Democrat-led, regime!

He had a Conservative Rating of just 40 for 2009 and a cumulative, Lifetime Rating of just 66! How can this man even call himself a Republican?! We need to let him know what we think of his record, and this bill!

Please, EVERYONE, call his office, 405-557-7430 and tell them that the Tea Party has Representative Benge in the Crosshairs, and unless he pulls this Bill, he will NEVER hold office, as a Republican, in the State of Oklahoma Again!

Related articles by Zemanta

• Okla. gov.: State faces `painful’ financial future (sfgate.com)

The Grassroots vs. the GrassTops

Image via Wikipedia

Former Tulsa City Councilman, and Local Talk Radio Show Host, Chris Medlock, has decided to run for Mayor of Tulsa, again. After a hard fought, and remarkably close campaign against incumbent, and MidTown “old Family Money” guy, Bill LaFortune, in the last Mayor’s race, Chris Medlock parlayed his success into a morning Talk show on KFAQ 1170, and became an almost “instant hit” with the “Q” Nation. Chris’ populist, yet ultra-conservative, viewpoint, struck a chord with many Tulsans. Now, armed with a better understanding of what it takes to win a Mayor’s race, and much wider name recognition, Medlock is back for another go ’round.

When Mayor Kathy Taylor announced that she was not seeking a second term, it through the race WIDE OPEN, and names started popping up all over the place. Democrat State Senator Tom Adelson, former City Councilor Dewey Bartlett, Jr. and 28 yr old entrepreneur Clay Clark were the initial 3 entrants. On July 4th, at the OKforTea Party, with Clay Clark emceeing, Chris Medlock unofficially announced that he was in. Later that week he made the announcement official with a Press Conference at the Tulsa Press Club. Within days, Clay Clark dropped his campaign and endorsed Medlock, saying

“After talking with our supporters and directly to Chris, it has become apparent that Chris and I agree on nearly all the major issues facing Tulsa. I believe that running against Chris would split the truly conservative vote, which would lead to the Mayor Taylor supporting candidate (Mr. Bartlett) being elected, and that would be like voting for Kathy Taylor Part 2.”

Clark had been vocal in his stances against Kathy Taylor’s running of Tulsa. When Bartlett came out and endorsed her, without knowing any of the Republican candidates for mayor, and then jumped into the race as soon as she was out, Clark issued a statement calling for Bartlett to “change parties, and run as a Democrat”.

Now, after the filing period of July 13th-15th has passed, we have a total of 19 candidates. 11 Republicans, 5 Democrats, and 3 Independents. On the Republican side we have, Anna Falling, David O’Connor, Paul Roales, Michael Tomes, Norris Streetman, Kevin Boggs, John Todd, Nathaniel Booth and Michael Rush. On the Democratic side, we have Robert Gwin Jr., Paul Tay, A. Burns and Prophet Kelly Lamar Clark. And our 3 Independents are Mark Perkins, Cleon Burrell and Lawrence Kirkpatrick.

But, we REALLY still only have 3 candidates, Chris Medlock, the Conservative Republican from South Tulsa, Dewey Bartlett, Jr., the Mid Town RINO (Republican In Name Only) who endorsed the Ultra-Liberal Kathy Taylor, and State Senator Tom Adelson, a typical “tax & spend” Democrat, and another of the Mid Town old money “good ol’ boys club” members, like LaFortune, Taylor, and Bartlett. Not that Party affiliation really matters in Tulsa. Like Chris Medlock said in his Interview with the UrbanTulsa Weekly,

“There are two parties in this town, but they’re not Republican and Democrat,” he said. “You really do have sort of the grassroots and the grasstops in this town.”

Well, as far as I am concerned, Chris Medlock is the choice of the GrassRoots! No more being ruled by the “grasstops” Mid Town minority! If you live in Tulsa, VOTE CHRIS MEDLOCK! If you live in the surrounding areas, this still affects you, tell all of your friends & family that live in Tulsa to VOTE FOR MEDLOCK.

Businesses Suing the City ofTulsa Over Arbitrary, and Unfair Taxation

More Join Lawsuit To Stop Ballpark Assessment Fees|NewsChannel 8

The City of Tulsa has decided that ANY business in the Downtown Assessment Area is going receive extra benefits from having the new Ballpark near them, so it’s only fair that they should all have to pay more taxes for it. A LOT MORE TAXES!

William Tabler of Chromium, a chrome plating business, has seen his assessment go from a couple of hundred dollars, to more than 12 THOUSAND DOLLARS! That’s basically like forcing them to make a contribution to the park, and yet receive ZERO benefit. Ballpark attendees are not going to stop in to get a little chrome work done, on the way to the game. SERIOUSLY, where is the “benefit” to Mr. Tabler’s business? Why should he have to foot the bill for the rest of the City?

William Tabler’s story is not unique. In fact, seventeen other businesses in the Downtown Area, have filed a Class-Action lawsuit against the city over it, claiming the “Assessment Zoning” is unfair. The lawsuit includes an injunction to prevent the collection of the assessments.

If the lawsuit is successful, there is still enough money to build the Ballpark, but the other developments slated to be built on property surrounding the Ballpark, will have to be funded in another way.

Let me say that again…

If the lawsuit is successful, there is still enough money to build the Ballpark, but the other developments slated to be built on property surrounding the Ballpark, will have to be funded in another way.

So, the assessment isn’t REALLY for the Ballpark? It’s to pay for the development of new businesses, and improvement on privately owned properties?!?! Stop me if I’m wrong here, but doesn’t that strike anyone else as WRONG? Why are our tax dollars going to fund someone else’s business? I’d like to know who the business owners are, that are benefiting from this, wouldn’t you?

This seems really fishy to me.

What I do know, is this. If I want to build a building for my business, not only will I not get it paid for by the City, but they will make me jump through 9 kinds of red tape, and pay exorbitant “zoning fees”. So, why is the City, which is already several million dollars in the red, using tax dollars to pay for improvements for private businesses? The City Budget had to be cut in numerous areas this year, and we still don’t have the 200 more cops on the street that were promised, but Tulsa can afford a new 86 million dollar City Hall building, a 178 million dollar Duct Tape Arena (BOK Center), and another 60 million dollars to build a new Ballpark, and develop the area around it?

Someone is making a LOT OF MONEY at the expense of the City of Tulsa, and the taxpayers. Don’t be surprised when the final investigation turns up fraud and corruption on the level of Chicago and New York organized crime.

Mark my words.

Newcomer Clay Clark Polling Well

Image via Wikipedia

Since Kathy Taylor‘s announcement that she would not seek a second term as Tulsa‘s Mayor, the local Talk Radio stations have been running online polls, asking the question

“Who Would You Like to See as Tulsa’s Next Mayor”

On KRMG, the Polling results show Chris Medlock out front, with 23% and several other names showing strongly, including Newcomer Clay Clark in 2nd with 14%, former Mayor Bill LaFortune with 14%, and City Counll Councilor Bill Christiansen with 12%.

On KFAQ, the Poll has Medlock leading, as well, with 38%, and Clay Clark in 2nd again, with 28%. Christiansen has 11%, and noone else has more than 5%.

Considering the major advantage in name recognition that all of the other candidates have, this is a really good starting point! With these kinds of numbers this early, Clay has to be considered a serious contender, and the “powers that be” have to be getting nervous!!