Tulsa Election 2013: April 2013 Archives

I had hoped for some changes with the change of ownership. Today's Tulsa World story on the mayoral election and Kathy Taylor's Great Plains airlines settlement has undermined that hope.

One positive change -- the pictures make all of the candidates look bad, not just the disfavored candidate. One commenter wrote, "Good lord. Is it my monitor or is the TW going out of their way to make people look bad picture-wise this morning? I feel like I ought to send get well cards."

Now the following paragraph by reporter Zack Stoycoff is at best lazy; at worst it's a sign that the Tulsa Whirled will continue to be Kathy Taylor's waterboy.

In 2008, while Taylor was mayor, the city of Tulsa paid the Bank of Oklahoma $7.1 million to settle a lawsuit against the Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust over a defaulted loan to the defunct Great Plains Airlines. The Oklahoma Supreme Court later ordered the bank to repay the city.

So, Mr. Stoycoff, does the City of Tulsa, a municipal corporation, have a will and a mind of its own that it, as a legal entity, can decide to pay $7.1 million to a bank? Or are there officials that make decisions on behalf of the city?

If you were to do some research in your paper's own archives, you would learn that the Mayor of Tulsa has the authority to agree to a settlement on behalf of the City of Tulsa.
That power was unlimited at the time of the Great Plains settlement in June 2008, but the Great Plains settlement inspired a charter amendment requiring the City Council's concurrence on settlements exceeding $1 million. That provision didn't go into effect until January 2010, a fact that allowed Dewey Bartlett Jr's $3 million settlement of a police lawsuit on October 29, 2009, to move forward without council approval.

So let's rewrite that paragraph in a way that retains a neutral, objective tone, but gives the readers the information they need to evaluate the claims of the various candidates.

In 2008, then-Mayor Kathy Taylor approved the payment of $7.1 million to the Bank of Oklahoma to settle a lawsuit against the Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust over a defaulted loan to the defunct Great Plains Airlines. In 2011, in response to a taxpayer lawsuit, the Oklahoma Supreme Court declared the payment to be illegal and ordered the bank to repay the city.

Maybe Mr. Stoycoff wanted to avoid taking sides on this issue. Maybe he didn't feel he had command of the facts and was worried that Kathy Taylor would sue him too.

But the facts in this case are inconvenient for Kathy Taylor. Kathy Taylor was praised at the time for making the deal that led to the City being added to the lawsuit, followed by Taylor's decision within a day to settle and pay BOK. Dewey Bartlett Jr, as a member of the TAIT board, approved the settlement and praised Kathy Taylor for making it happen:

It's something we need to do and I applaud the mayor and the Bank of Oklahoma for working out a deal... a lot of work went into this thing. It was a waste of energy. It's a new day and that's good news.

A June 27, 2008, story in the Tulsa World quotes outside attorney Robert Sartin, speaking to the Tulsa City Council and telling them that the mayor (that would be Kathy Taylor) accepted the settlement; the council could only decide how to pay the bill. (Emphasis added.)

Before the council votes, Sartin explained that the council was not deciding to accept or reject a settlement.

The settlement had been entered into and accepted earlier Thursday by the bank, the mayor and the Tulsa Airport Improvements Trust, then filed in Tulsa County District Court.

"The issue is whether to appropriate the money from the sinking fund," Sartin told the councilors.

He told them that if they didn't take action, the bank could ask a court to force the payment.

The sinking fund is derived from property taxes and is used to pay legal judgments against the city.

The $7.1 million would be taken from the fund and then recouped with a three-year levy in property taxes, which Finance Director Mike Kier said would start at 1.1 mills and decrease slightly over the three years.

I haven't heard the robocall that prompted Kathy Taylor's complaints, but if it said that Kathy Taylor was responsible for the illegal payment of $7.1 million by the City of Tulsa to the Bank of Oklahoma, it was accurate and in accord with published facts and court findings.

Tuesday's news story quotes Taylor's claim that this is mudslinging; her call to "focus on the issues" is another example of her refusal to accept responsibility for her actions. Kathy Taylor wants credit for being a mayor who got things done, but she doesn't want the rightful blame attached to the damage caused by the way she got things done.

Kathy Taylor's record as a leader is a central issue in this campaign. The voters should consider whether Kathy Taylor failed to act with integrity and whether she served special interests over the interests of ordinary Tulsans. The idea that she would escape any accountability for her first term as mayor -- well, to quote Kathy Taylor on another occasion when she attempted to deflect accountability for her actions:

MORE: An Oklahoman article from 2002 notes that the then-Tulsa Mayor, Bill LaFortune, was the one with the authority to accept or reject a proposed settlement of the lawsuit brought against the city by the Black Officers Coalition.

Citing the last-minute entry of former State Rep. John Wright into the Tulsa County Commission District 3 special election, Ronda Vuillemont-Smith has announced her withdrawal from the race. Vuillemont-Smith heads the Tulsa 9.12 Project, a Tea Party organization, and led last year's defeat of the Vision2 county sales tax.

TULSA, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 12, 2013 - Ronda Vuillemont-Smith, candidate for Tulsa County Commission, District 3, is withdrawing from the race set for June 11, 2013. "I entered the county commissioners race to ensure that the tax payers of Tulsa County would have a common sense, conservative voice at the table when dealing with their hard earned money, " states Vuillemont-Smith, "I am announcing my withdrawal from this race today as I feel that the people can have that voice with John Wright. He is a capable candidate with a willingness to get things done in Tulsa County."

"Part of my vision for Tulsa County is to see us move from paying bonding fees and interest and follow Oklahoma City's plan of pay-as-you-go, where we could make money on our deposits as opposed to spending tax payer's money with nothing to show for it. Cutting up the county credit cards is necessary if we want to move Tulsa County forward."

Vuillemont-Smith made her decision to withdraw following John Wright's entry to the race, believing that they would both pull from the same conservative voters and in a 'winner take all' race that the votes need to remain united. "This race is about changing the face of Tulsa County government, not about an individual, and certainly not about me," Vuillemont-Smith continues.

Vuillemont-Smith's voice will continue to be heard through citizen activism in groups like Citizens for a Better Vision and Tulsa 9.12 Project. With the 'Fix our Streets' package approaching, she will continue her role as a voice for limited government and lower taxes. Vuillemont-Smith is a vocal conservative, actively working for lower taxes and smaller government; she is an ordinary citizen working to make our community a better place to work and live.

"I am truly honored and humbled by all the support I have received, it only proves that people are eager for common sense solutions to issues dealing with your hard earned money," concludes Vuillemont-Smith.

"There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit." ~Ronald Reagan

Filing ended Wednesday with a surprise: The last minute entry of former State Rep. John Wright in the Tulsa County Commission District 3 race, along with a Democrat, John Bomar, the first time a Democrat has run for this seat for as long as I can recall. One more candidate entered the City Auditor's race: Cathy Ann Criswell.

All three incumbent City Councilors were re-elected without drawing an opponent. It's a predictable consequence of staggered, non-partisan elections; happens all the time in school board races.

Here's the complete list of all filings as posted on the Tulsa County Election Board website, with Wednesday's filers highlighted in bold print. Here are direct links to the official list of City of Tulsa Election 2013 filings and Tulsa County Commission Election 2013 filings.

For Mayor of Tulsa:

William Lee Christiansen, 11422 S. Granite Ave., Tulsa, OK 74137, 12/23/1947
Kathy Taylor, 2811 S. Columbia Pl., Tulsa, OK 74114, 9/29/1955
Lawrence F. Kirkpatrick, 1108 N. Harvard, Tulsa, OK 74115, 9/13/1945
Jerry Dewayne Branch, 519 S. 45TH W. Ave., Tulsa, OK 74127, 3/29/1964
Dewey Follett Bartlett, Jr., 2426 E. 30th St., Tulsa, OK 74114, 3/16/1947

For Tulsa City Auditor:

Clift Richards, 7834 S. College Pl., Tulsa, OK 74136, 2/7/1940
Joshua Steven Lewis, 8509 E. 47th St., Tulsa, OK 74145, 9/20/1982
Cathy Ann Criswell, 3322 E. King St., Tulsa, OK 74115, 7/10/1954

For Tulsa City Council District 2:

Jeannie Cue, 5313 S. 32 West Pl., Tulsa, OK 74107, 1/22/1954

For Tulsa City Council District 5:

Karen Gilbert, 4611 S. Maplewood Ave., Tulsa, OK 74135, 8/9/1968

For Tulsa City Council District 8:

Philip Lawrence Lakin, Jr., 4915 E. 104th Pl., Tulsa, OK 74137, 8/5/1967

For Tulsa County Commission District 3:

Brandon Perkins, 7221 S. Columbia Pl., Tulsa, OK 74136, 8/20/1969, Republican
Don Crall, 17712 S. Sheridan Rd., Tulsa, OK 74008, 6/16/1964, Republican
Ron Peters, 4432 S. Atlanta Pl., Tulsa, OK 74105, 9/28/1944, Republican
Ronda Vuillemont-Smith, 3909 W. Roanoke St., Broken Arrow, OK 74011, 3/13/1961, Republican
John Bomar, 7326 E. 65th Pl., Tulsa, Ok 74133, 9/7/1948, Democrat
John A. Wright, 2319 S. Beech Ct., Broken Arrow, Ok 74012 8/5/1954 Republican

Only two new filers today: Incumbent Tulsa Mayor Dewey F Bartlett Jr and Joshua Steven Lewis, a 30-year-old challenging City Auditor Clift Richards.

Here's the list of all filings through Tuesday as posted on the Tulsa County Election Board website, with Tuesday's filers highlighted in bold print.

For Mayor of Tulsa:

William Lee Christiansen, 11422 S. Granite Ave., Tulsa, OK 74137, 12/23/1947
Kathy Taylor, 2811 S. Columbia Pl., Tulsa, OK 74114, 9/29/1955
Lawrence F. Kirkpatrick, 1108 N. Harvard, Tulsa, OK 74115, 9/13/1945
Jerry Dewayne Branch, 519 S. 45TH W. Ave., Tulsa, OK 74127, 3/29/1964
Dewey Follett Bartlett, Jr., 2426 E. 30th St., Tulsa, OK 74114, 3/16/1947

For Tulsa City Auditor:

Clift Richards, 7834 S. College Pl., Tulsa, OK 74136, 2/7/1940
Joshua Steven Lewis, 8509 E. 47th St., Tulsa, OK 74145, 9/20/1982

For Tulsa City Council District 2:

Jeannie Cue, 5313 S. 32 West Pl., Tulsa, OK 74107, 1/22/1954

For Tulsa City Council District 5:

Karen Gilbert, 4611 S. Maplewood Ave., Tulsa, OK 74135, 8/9/1968

For Tulsa City Council District 8:

Philip Lawrence Lakin, Jr., 4915 E. 104th Pl., Tulsa, OK 74137, 8/5/1967

For Tulsa County Commission District 3:

Brandon Perkins, 7221 S. Columbia Pl., Tulsa, OK 74136, 8/20/1969, Republican
Don Crall, 17712 S. Sheridan Rd., Tulsa, OK 74008, 6/16/1964, Republican
Ron Peters, 4432 S. Atlanta Pl., Tulsa, OK 74105, 9/28/1944, Republican

Filing for Mayor of Tulsa, City Auditor, three city council seats, and the special election for Tulsa County Commissioner District 3 began today, April 8, 2013, and runs through Wednesday, April 10, 2013.

Four candidates filed for mayor: Former Councilor Bill Christiansen, Former Mayor Kathy Taylor, frequent mayoral candidate Lawrence F. Kirkpatrick, and Jerry Dewayne Branch. Incumbent Mayor Dewey F. Bartlett Jr. did not file today.

The incumbent auditor Clift Richards and incumbent councilors for Districts 2, 5, and 8 (Jeannie Cue, Karen Gilbert, and Phil Lakin) all filed, and none have drawn an opponent as yet. The incumbents were all elected as Republicans.

Three Republican candidates filed the race to fill the last 16 months of County Commissioner Fred Perry's term, Planning commissioner and homebuilder Brandon Perkins, former state representative Ron Peters, and Don Crall. Ronda Vuillemont-Smith announced that she would officially file on Wednesday, in honor of her late father's birthday.

Here's the list of today's filings as posted on the Tulsa County Election Board website.

For Mayor of Tulsa:

William Lee Christiansen, 11422 S. Granite Ave., Tulsa, OK 74137, 12/23/1947
Kathy Taylor, 2811 S. Columbia Pl., Tulsa, OK 74114, 9/29/1955
Lawrence F. Kirkpatrick, 1108 N. Harvard, Tulsa, OK 74115, 9/13/1945
Jerry Dewayne Branch, 519 S. 45TH W. Ave., Tulsa, OK 74127, 3/29/1964

For Tulsa City Auditor:

Clift Richards, 7834 S. College Pl., Tulsa, OK 74136, 2/7/1940

For Tulsa City Council District 2:

Jeannie Cue, 5313 S. 32 West Pl., Tulsa, OK 74107, 1/22/1954

For Tulsa City Council District 5:

Karen Gilbert, 4611 S. Maplewood Ave., Tulsa, OK 74135, 8/9/1968

For Tulsa City Council District 8:

Philip Lawrence Lakin, Jr., 4915 E. 104th Pl., Tulsa, OK 74137, 8/5/1967

For Tulsa County Commission District 3:

Brandon Perkins, 7221 S. Columbia Pl., Tulsa, OK 74136, 8/20/1969, Republican
Don Crall, 17712 S. Sheridan Rd., Tulsa, OK 74008, 6/16/1964, Republican
Ron Peters, 4432 S. Atlanta Pl., Tulsa, OK 74105, 9/28/1944, Republican