After four years of tireless advocacy, Smart Growth Tulsa is ceasing operations. Founded as a single-proprietorship in 2014, the organization transitioned to an Oklahoma 501(c)4 Non-Profit in 2016, governed by a Board of Trustees, and
While some property owners predictably resist what they consider to be cumbersome and sometimes expensive regulations, they are arguably the ones who have the most to gain by them. It is a mistake by those who dismiss design standards as nothing more than unnecessary aesthetics serving as barriers to doing business.
It’s not difficult to speculate on what’s behind the February 21st, 2017 Special City Council Meeting to consider a mayoral sponsored resolution regarding the future of a portion of Helmerich Park. Quite simply, it is damage control, and an
I have a lot of confidence in the ability of voters to decipher the issues and support the community’s needs when they are presented logically, honestly and rationally. They almost always do. And when packages are not well conceived, are poorly timed, or lack sufficient public input, they almost always fail.
Citizens seem to understand that solving the structural problems of financing city operations is needed and they are willing to use Vision 2025 to address them, even supporting a .4% tax increase to free up money for other worthy vision capital projects and programs.
Any way you slice it, commandeering half of the Vision 2025 funds for the four dams in a winner take all up or down vote would have seriously compromised what is left for other worthy quality of life enhancements. The public’s interest will be well served by broadening the discussion.
In the absence of any other comprehensive Vision 2025 extension proposal, we humbly submit the following options for your review and consideration. Our proposal is not meant to tell you what you need but rather to ask if these are the kinds of projects you would like to support and see on the ballot.
So we are left to determine if devoting $300 million to these dams is the smart, prudent, responsible and best use of the funds. The massively disproportionate share of the costs expected to be borne by Tulsans (90%) in relationship to the projected benefits simply do not add up.
This is the first in a series of Op/Ed columns titled Who Gets and Who Gives a Dam, Installment I – An overview, to help citizens understand the ramifications of the Arkansas River Infrastructure Task Force’s proposal for a series of low-water dams. Our mission and our goal is to provide as much relevant information as possible…
The recent decision by Mayor Bartlett to go ahead with the planned Riverside Drive sidewalk to serve A Gathering Place is welcome news.
Thanks to everyone who supported our efforts to save the proposed Riverside Drive sidewalk that will eventually connect downtown Tulsa to The Gathering Place. Fifteen organizations, dozens of high profile public figures including four former mayors and hundreds of individuals answered the call. To voice their concerns, nearly three hundred energized Tulsans including a convincing…
Step One: Sign our letter, encourage the Mayor to reconsider his position on the Riverside Sidewalk Dear Mayor Bartlett: The undersigned recommend the City of Tulsa build a sidewalk on the east side of Riverside Drive connecting downtown Tulsa via Veterans Park to the entrance of the Gathering Place as proposed by the COT Engineering…