The River Vote: Mayor Taylor Botches the Message from Voters

On Tues, Oct 9th, the River Tax went down to defeat in Tulsa County. After the outcome was no longer in doubt, the news crews put a microphone up to the mayor and asked for her option. I was amazed to hear the Mayor make the statement that "we'll get back to bread and butter issues and maybe come back and look at the river in a decade". (If that's not the exact quote then it's very close.) At first blush, this seems like sour grapes, but let's help the mayor by deconstructing what may have happened, and perhaps how we might go forward.

Three things -

1. I live in a part of town that would have greatly benefited by a developed and thriving river. However, I voted against the tax, but not because I am against river development. If you asked Tulsa County residents if they were for a RiverWalk-type place in Tulsa, the vast overwhelming majority would undoubtably say yes. But just so you will understand, we don't think (or want) a tax increase to make this happen. Not all taxes are bad, but as a Tulsa citizen, I feel that I am now sufficiently taxed. Please use what you have to be best of your ability, but the No voters did not give you a 10 year pass.


2. Mayor, do you want to be our hero? I could be wrong, but I doubt that you moved from a comfy lifestyle in Florida just because of an overwhelming desire to be the mayor of this city. I am suggesting that there may be a desire for higher political office. On what will you base that campaign? Here's my suggestion for winning your next election. Wait a few weeks and then come back and tell us that you have been up all night for weeks and have finally found a way to get river development in spite of the failure of the River Tax. Branson landing is hinting that they still want to be in the game, local blogs and talk radio have put forth a number of ways that river development could move forward without the River Tax. Become our champion, take one of these plans (or devise your own) and take full credit for making it happen. You could ensure your (positive) legacy in this town. (P.S. if you get stuck, go to Jenks and spend a day. Look what can happen with no tax increase and a private sector that is turned loose.) Lastly, please don't be a politician that has no better ideas than to be in favor of raiding the pockets of the locals. That doesn't make you stand out in the crowd.


3. Private Money. God bless the Kaiser Foundation. The suggestion on Tuesday was that the private money included in the River Tax has now evaporated into thin air. Really? When the (now defunct?) Channels was proposed, there was about $100 million in private funds available for that project. Now for this River Tax there was $117 million available. The Kaiser folks have made it clear that they would agree to help development to the tune of around $100 million dollars. Madam Mayor, if you were to go back to these people (either publicly or behind the scenes) with a plan to get the river done, do you think that their willingness will have vanished? How bad would they look if we take off to do development and they decide at this point to stay home? Use your charms! You'll succeed.