Tulsa World: Hopefuls address plans to lead Tulsa

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Hopefuls address plans to lead Tulsa

RACE FOR MAYOR
Tom Adelson and Dewey Bartlett Jr.: The two men are mounting a strident campaign in the race to become mayor.

By P.J. LASSEK World Staff Writer
Published: 10/14/2009 2:23 AM
Last Modified: 10/14/2009 3:56 AM

Tulsa Elections: Read bios of candidates for mayor, City Council and city auditor and view a map of City Council districts.

Mayoral candidates Tom Adelson and Dewey Bartlett Jr. have very different plans for how they would lead the city.

The two spoke before a crowd of about 100 Tuesday during a mayoral forum held by the Tulsa Retired Educators Association at the Education Service Center.

Bartlett, a Republican, pledged not to raise taxes. Instead, he said he'd take "simple measures" such as "changing light bulbs" and energy and performance audits to save what he estimated would be $1 million.

Adelson, a Democrat, said the city is in the midst of a very difficult budget crisis and if it were as easy as "changing lights bulbs, it would have been done already."

"If you believe a no-new-taxes, read-my-lips pledge, I don't know how you can reach that," Adelson said.

Adelson said it is a matter of prioritizing services and looking for additional revenue. He said he thinks the city could realize a half-cent savings on the third-penny sales tax by combining services like public works with the county and surrounding cities. That savings could be concentrated back on infrastructure, he said.

During his opening statement, Bartlett produced a copy of his resume and pointed out the importance of showing experience.

Bartlett,

president of Keener Oil & Gas and a former city councilor, said being mayor is more than cutting ribbons. "It's a very serious, important job that you have to analyze," he said.

Bartlett said the mayor needs to focus on basic services so that when citizens wake up in morning "toilets are flushing, water is running, that trash has been picked up and you walk outside and not only feel safe, but you are safe."

He said he will use code enforcement as a vehicle to make sure neighborhoods are safe and that "illegal activities will be addressed directly and forcefully."

Bartlett said he would make tough decisions that would keep the Police and Fire departments fully funded and better managed.

He also said that a priority for him is job creation and predicted he'd be the most "job gettingestmayor this city has ever seen."

Adelson, a state senator, spoke about his record in the Legislature, touting victories in health care, education, and economic development.

"I want to bring that same record of collaboration and effectiveness to city government, where our needs are every bit as challenging," he said.

He said he wants to ensure that police officers have the tools needed to keep neighborhoods safe; continue working with the U.S. Attorney's Office to stop gang violence; and to increase participation in the Confidential Reliable Citizens Program that reports gang activities.

Pointing out that prevention is a key to fighting crime, Adelson said he will continue efforts to find alternatives for youths by working with churches and schools, and will push for a community intervention center.

Adelson also said he will make sure that every dollar of the $451.6 million Fix the Streets bond issue is invested into roads.

He said regionalism is a top priority "because we cannot continue to afford this destructive competition of the tax base between the surrounding cities and Tulsa."

Adelson said each year Tulsa loses about $1.4 million in sales tax revenue to the suburbs so that the city no longer can provide the level of service that "citizens deserve and expect."

"I'm committed to being very honest with you about the difficult choices," he said.

Independents Mark Perkins and Lawrence Kirkpatrick will appear on the Nov. 10 general election ballot along with Adelson and Bartlett. Neither Perkins nor Kirkpatrick was invited to Tuesday's forum.

Perkins, who learned about the event from news coverage, said in a statement that "yet again the focus seems to be on perpetuating the status quo rather than on open dialogue aimed toward building a better Tulsa."

P.J. Lassek 581-8382
pj.lassek@tulsaworld.com By P.J. LASSEK World Staff Writer

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Some reader comments for this story were copied from "Tulsa mayoral candidates speak," which was published on 10/13/2009.

	Report Comment QLC, (10/14/2009 10:41:14 AM) this is insane, how can they have a forum and leave out some candidates? I am voting independent.
	Report Comment Lance-a-lot, Tulsa (10/13/2009 3:43:53 PM) Sure wish they would not lock out Mark Perkins from the forums. This is the same old same old...mid town looking out for each other.
	Report Comment Rupert Shootman, Tulsa (10/14/2009 11:06:33 AM) Lance-A-Lot. Perkins is a mid-town elite too. Why aren't they protecting him? Maybe because he hasn't toted any H2O for them on any of them boards they all seem to serve on. Got to pay your dues in service to the clan before you get to play with the big boys.
	Report Comment out here in the middle, Sand Springs (10/13/2009 1:27:38 PM) Why would these men, or anyone for that matter, spend over a million dollars a piece to get a job that does not pay that much? Seriously, think about it. These men are not stupid, they understand that the only reason you'd invest a million dollars in something is if you hope to get more than a million dollars out of it. So what do they hope to get out of it?
	Report Comment moogle, Tulsa (10/14/2009 8:46:12 PM) I'm waiting for the person who shows he/she realizes the way to reduce Tulsa crime, improve the TPS, and get people back in from the burbs is to stop catering to the developers who want to pollute the city with apartments that attract section 8 trolls dragging their government meal ticket kids behind them.
	Report Comment Proud Muslim, Tulsa: Coolest place in the world (almost) (10/13/2009 2:01:57 PM) Nice observation on the hair, Arby. Yet TW put Adelson's picture on the right and Bartlett's picture on the left!
	Report Comment lucky girl, mine (10/13/2009 1:44:11 PM) Don't forget the seats at the new ball park too.
	Report Comment lucky girl, mine (10/13/2009 1:54:49 PM) Does that mean that she is a raciest?
	Report Comment beau3985, Tulsa (10/13/2009 12:51:14 PM) Tom Adelson always looks disheveled. Especially his hair. He always looks like he just crawled out of a bar.
	Report Comment beau3985, Tulsa (10/13/2009 12:52:20 PM) LOL. "Sleazy politics school"...he must have a PhD from there!
	Report Comment beau3985, Tulsa (10/13/2009 12:58:00 PM) Adelson has this perpetual tired look on his face too. His eyes look half closed, like he's always ready for a nap.
	Report Comment beau3985, Tulsa (10/13/2009 1:11:00 PM) I'd pay to see that Jay
	Report Comment beau3985, Tulsa (10/13/2009 1:34:53 PM) out here, most use the office as a stepping stone to governor, senator, and beyond.
	Report Comment Newsmax, Tulsa - MidTown (10/13/2009 1:28:24 PM) Yawn!
	Report Comment Alan Shore, (10/14/2009 6:25:57 AM) Medlock was taking tickets at the door...
	Report Comment TK1, (10/13/2009 2:31:40 PM) Crowd of about 100--probably similar in size to the Crowd motivated to go out and vote for either one of these candidates in November.
	Report Comment peelumba, (10/14/2009 6:44:51 AM) combine public works with other cities? are you kidding, what a night mare. This is the most asinine thing any of these politicians have come up with. So what if some one in lets say Owasso has a water problem they would call in and a crew from Sandsprings would come out? Talk about level of service going threw the bottom of the barrel. If either of these clowns think this is a viable idea they need to be put out to pasture. Vote independent.
	Report Comment Oldfatdude, Shàngdu (10/14/2009 1:47:22 PM) I have a great idea. Why not give each candidate (all four) a special copy of "Sim City" with all of Tulsa's problems programmed in. Let them play the game and whomever solves the most problems and doesn't create new problems gets the job. Regardless of party affiliation. As for the Tulsa Retired Educators Association's, Boo on you for not including all candidates in your forum. Afraid someone will get "edumacated" on the issues?
	Report Comment T5000, 'burbs, Ok. (10/13/2009 2:20:49 PM) Here's a simple measure that's sure to solve the budget shortfalls: More parking meters!
	Report Comment 2ndjoyce, BA (10/13/2009 12:55:59 PM) That's called style, beau. I kind of like it, but this is not about hair!
	Report Comment 2ndjoyce, BA (10/13/2009 1:53:37 PM) Is TulsaLynne the woman who wrote the letter to the editor who wouldn't name the candidate's wife who didn't put her foot in the door? That was a lot of who's. Sorry. But is she?
	Report Comment 2ndjoyce, BA (10/13/2009 1:55:07 PM) Should that be whos? What's the plural of who?
	Report Comment Thunder196, Tulsa (10/14/2009 9:05:09 PM) Bartlett "He said he will use code enforcement as a vehicle to make sure neighborhoods are safe and that "illegal activities will be addressed directly and forcefully." . Call and give me your personal word and swear on your life you wouldn't go back on your word, and there would be a chance you might get my vote. Right now, as it stands. Yeah, right.
	Report Comment bearway, Jenks (10/13/2009 12:52:01 PM) Why were the other candidates not invited? If they qualify to run, they qualify to be heard, otherwise this is just a clear example of oppression and eliteism. ( Is that a word? )
	Report Comment Arbythree, Tulsa (10/13/2009 12:55:48 PM) Ditto bearway!

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