Tulsa World: Mayoral candidates Q&A

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Mayoral candidates Q&A

Tom Adelson
Democrat

By P.J. LASSEK & BRIAN BARBER World Staff Writers
Published: 10/11/2009 2:24 AM
Last Modified: 10/11/2009 4:48 AM

Visit the Tulsa World’s city elections Web page for continuing coverage.

In the weeks leading up to the Nov. 10 city elections, the Tulsa World will present the mayoral candidates — Democrat Tom Adelson, Republican Dewey Bartlett Jr. and independent Mark Perkins — with various questions about issues facing the city. Here are the candidates' responses, in 100 words or less, to today's questions about economic development.

Question: With suburban communities whittling away at Tulsa's sales tax base, what would be your specific strategy to minimize the trend?

Adelson: Tulsa's sales tax market share has declined from 80 percent to under 60 percent. Each year, Tulsa's infrastructure costs increase, and we have a flat or declining city population to pay for them. Efforts to redirect state tax money for municipal services are sure to be contested. The solution is more regional cooperation where duplication of service, waste and inefficiency exist. As we become more efficient with our tax dollars, we must also prepare implementation of the new master plan to ensure that Tulsa increases its population. PlaniTulsa efforts to re-densify Tulsa are crucial to the future of our city.

Bartlett: I will focus on public safety, jobs, traffic and eliminating government barriers to development. I will fight crime, so that people want to

spend time and money in Tulsa. I will recruit quality jobs, and make Tulsa a place where businesses can grow and expand. Annually, $25 million of Tulsa's collected sales tax comes from our 75,000 daily commuters, so we must take care of our infrastructure so traffic can flow and people can move around town, which creates commerce. Lastly, government barriers cannot be allowed to dampen our business environment. Job growth equates to new taxpayers, which will be my four-year focus.

Perkins: 1) Reduce crime and improve our public schools so we are more attractive to families and businesses looking to relocate. 2) Maintain parks and open pools. 3) Get the politics out of the development process. 4) Work to cut layers of bureaucracy and multi-step permitting, i.e. INCOG involvement in Tulsa zoning, some permitting, etc. The city of Tulsa can handle this like most cities. 5) Facilitate proper implementation of the Infrastructure Development Process. Time is money. 6) Sensible code modifications (see No. 2). 7) River development. 8) Infrastructure improvements (South Tulsa). 9) Support our colleges and universities.

Question: The availability of undeveloped land is shrinking within the city. What specific actions would you take to encourage both residential and commercial development within the city's core?

Adelson: To thrive, our focus must change. Continued growth is limited by land availability and maintenance constraints imposed by building 25 miles of new road per year for the last 30 years. Infill development in our existing neighborhoods must be encouraged with appropriate safeguards preserving neighborhood integrity, aesthetics and quality of life. Tulsa must learn to grow up along existing corridors rather than facilitating sprawl. That requires efficient, cost- effective mass transit, pedestrian-friendly development and mixed-use development. The goal is to connect neighborhoods, make our city less car-dependent and create greater density. Tulsa's new master plan must reflect those solutions.

Bartlett: We are blessed with a great city to promote and develop. I will support the Gilcrease Expressway. I will revise the zoning code to be conducive to infill and redevelopment. I will support policies for private development along the Arkansas River. I will implement changes to the city regulatory process for more of a "red carpet" treatment and less red tape. I will seriously consider the recommendations of PlaniTulsa. I will encourage development on the approximately 31,000 acres of vacant land within Tulsa's boundaries, which I see as opportunities for private-sector developers.

Perkins: We must create conditions that will attract and encourage private investment. Priorities: 1) Adoption of a new Comprehensive Master Plan incorporating the PlaniTulsa findings. 2) Adoption of a commonsense mixture of form- and use-based codes that fit the character, wants and needs of our varied districts. a) There is a proper balance between preservation and development, and methods for striking that balance, but government restriction of private property rights should be limited; b) The free market should determine whether a business succeeds or fails, but parking spaces should not determine whether a business opens.

Question: Cities across the nation are finding economic benefits by focusing development initiatives in specified entertainment and retail districts. What areas in Tulsa would your administration target for such development and why?

Adelson: We should link existing entertainment, retail and recreation opportunities. Development will occur along linkages. Underserved parts of the city may require specialized initiatives to afford all Tulsans the opportunity to enjoy amenities near where they live and work. An example involves linking by light rail or something similar to the following: the south Tulsa trail system, River Parks, downtown past the BOK Center, the Blue Dome, Brady and Greenwood districts, Central Park and the Pearl district, and Sixth Street east to TU with the possibility of future extension eastward along historic Route 66 and southward toward the 71 Street corridor.

Bartlett: Private development along Tulsa's jewel, the Arkansas River, must stay on our radar screen, as will our continued commitment to the investments we've made downtown. The PlaniTulsa proposal identifies three locations which I believe would be a great start. These are Northland at 36th Street North and Peoria Ave., Eastgate Metroplex at 21st Street and 145th East Ave., and southwest Tulsa near Southwest Boulevard and West 41st Street. If we put a development-friendly process in place which encourages private investment coupled with good planning and zoning, others will come forward and Tulsa will once again be a city to be emulated.

Perkins: It is important to disperse centers of economic activity throughout every part of the city (i.e. see corridors and new centers in PlaniTulsa report). My administration will focus its time and attention on: 1) the infrastructure requirements necessary to connect and access these districts from anywhere in the metropolitan area; 2) creating conditions that encourage and nurture small business and private investment (see above answers); and, 3) identifying private partners to develop prototypes within the districts to spur development, if necessary. Examples are: Pearl (model for form-based urban living), river (untapped revenue source), Eastgate (suburban employment center), Brady (infill redevelopment).

P.J. Lassek 581-8382
pj.lassek@tulsaworld.com

Brian Barber 581-8322
brian.barber@tulsaworld.com By P.J. LASSEK & BRIAN BARBER World Staff Writers

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	Report Comment sr71v3, (10/11/2009 10:13:42 AM) Bartlett endorsed Taylor, shows lack of sound judgment. Adelson gave tons of money to zer0bama, shows lack of character and low intelligence. Perkins, too me, is pretty much an unknown quantity but is my only option this time around.
	Report Comment Rupert Shootman, Tulsa (10/11/2009 12:31:21 PM) Perkins is a Siegfried. He's part of the same group of monkey's that got us to this place.
	Report Comment GARFIELD, TULSA (10/11/2009 2:02:00 PM) Mr. Abelson looks like he'd just won a new booby prize on the tv game show!!
	Report Comment crawfish, (10/11/2009 5:23:05 PM) Rupert, please tell me how the Siegfrieds are "part of the same group of monkey's that got us to this place"? Besides playing "armchair quarterback", what are you doing to make Tulsa a better place? I look forward to your POSITIVE reply.

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