Tulsa World: Mayoral hopeful puts finance first

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Mayoral hopeful puts finance first
Mark Perkins vows to maximize efficiency and eliminate waste.

Independent mayoral candidate Mark Perkins speaks Friday at the Tulsa Press Club's Page One Luncheon. "The financial health of the city is my first priority," he said while outlining his plans. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World

By P.J. LASSEK World Staff Writer
Published: 10/24/2009 2:23 AM
Last Modified: 10/24/2009 7:30 AM

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

Independent mayoral candidate Mark Perkins said Friday that all the negative campaigning by his opponents is harmful to Tulsa, further validating the need for a "new attitude" and a new kind of leader.

"I'm running to give a voice to all the pragmatic and forward-thinking Tulsans who want to move in a new direction," he said.

Perkins said the television attack ads by Democrat Tom Adelson and Republican Dewey Bartlett Jr. "may not reflect their personal character very well, but it reflects their judgment and leadership."

"Our campaigns represent us, and how they are run represents who we are," Perkins said during a Tulsa Press Club Page One Luncheon.

A candidate who would allow his or her campaign to "get so negative is harmful to Tulsa and makes it more difficult for the city to become united and overcome our challenges," he said.

Perkins, Adelson and Bartlett will face off in the Nov. 10 general election. Also on the ballot is independent candidate Lawrence Kirkpatrick.

Perkins said he is a political outsider with no political debts and no political agenda and is the only leader who can unify the city in a nonpartisan way to overcome nonpartisan challenges.

If elected, he said,

he would "immediately surround myself with the best and the brightest leaders," which could include bringing a city manager into his administration.

Perkins said that although he would consider hiring a city manager, he opposes changing the city's form of government.

He said his administration would immediately examine "our municipal protocols, contracts, positions and procedures so they can make recommendations to me for improving efficiency and eliminating waste."

"The financial health of the city is my first priority," he said. "I believe it is the fundamental responsibility of government to respect every taxpayer dollar by maximizing efficiency in every government function."

Perkins said the city needs to support "intelligent economic development initiatives" designed to increase revenues.

He said the city must improve code enforcement efforts, adopt a mixture of form- and use-based codes that allows responsible infill development, and become more user-friendly, especially in the permitting process.

"Permitting is frequently cumbersome and time-consuming, and to a business, time is money," he said. "We don't want to give anybody a reason to choose another municipality."

Perkins also said some building codes make construction so time-consuming and cost-prohibitive that older buildings end up being magnets for crime and depressed property values rather than being renovated to spur revitalization.

He said his experience in actually working for, starting and helping other people start small businesses gives him the knowledge of what is needed to support and attract private investments without new programs or taxes.

The city also needs to be an attractive and livable city for the young professionals who are making decisions on where they want to live, start businesses and raise families, Perkins said.

"All of these things and more will engender increased revenues that can be used to pay for our roads, schools and public safety officers in every part of the city," he said.

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 candidate says negative ads harmful to city," which was published on 10/23/2009.

	Report Comment born okay the 1st time, tulsa (10/23/2009 3:15:24 PM) GO MARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
	Report Comment Welcome to America !, Claremore (10/23/2009 3:22:26 PM) Thanks Mark !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
	Report Comment Mar, Tulsa (10/23/2009 3:23:42 PM) I'm glad to see Mark Perkins finally receive some attention by the media Ok, I'm three-fourths decided to vote for Mark Perkins. I like what he has to say in this article. Other than his remark about young professionals, though I agree they are very important because they will be paying a lot of the taxes if they are paid well, but the city of Tulsa should be for all people, young, middle age, elderly, poor, middle class, rich and anything in between and for all areas of Tulsa. "...“Our campaigns represent us, and how they are run represents who we are,” said Perkins, ..." I agree wholeheartedly. Please take note Adelson and Bartlett.
	Report Comment Team player, (10/23/2009 3:24:31 PM) if i was in tulsa county, you'd have my vote mark...go get em'
	Report Comment Mar, Tulsa (10/23/2009 3:27:22 PM) Team player, a person has to live in the "City of Tulsa" to vote. This election for Mayor of Tulsa. Nothing to do with Tulsa county which includes Broken Arrow, Owasso, Jenks, Bixby, etc.
	Report Comment pdillo, Tulsa (10/23/2009 3:29:28 PM) those bartlett ads are such a joke. but im sure they work for the idiot voters that hes targeting
	Report Comment irwindale, Tulsa (10/23/2009 3:29:50 PM) ...this town does not have the nerve to change. I hope I am wrong though.
	Report Comment Team player, (10/23/2009 3:32:55 PM) ugghhh..i meant the city of tulsa, not tulsa county. thanks for calling me out on that mar.
	Report Comment Tulsa Life, (10/23/2009 3:32:56 PM) It's easy for Mark to say these things because no one is saying anything about him. He is bringing even more of a spotlight on the ads. Sorry I'm not buying it...
	Report Comment Team player, (10/23/2009 3:33:07 PM) i actually do live in tulsa county...lol
	Report Comment Carlos, Tulsa (10/23/2009 3:40:02 PM) Mark Perkins is getting my vote simply for not participating in the mudslinging.
	Report Comment Ric, Broken Arrow (10/23/2009 3:50:44 PM) I agree with what Perkins is saying. Tulsa needs someone clean in the office. A new face, a new name and someone who's not connected with the good ol boys.
	Report Comment born okay the 1st time, tulsa (10/23/2009 3:52:40 PM) Do a lottle research foloks. Mark has a good solid foundation to present to Tulsa. A blurb from his site markfortulsa dot com The primary focus of my campaign will be on public safety, roads and infrastructure, education and economic development. I believe these are the core issues that impact quality of life for Tulsans, and are the most appropriate areas of focus for government.” The 3 thngs we have all been screaming for. Crime, roads & schools.
	Report Comment Mar, Tulsa (10/23/2009 3:53:48 PM) Tulsa Life, those terrible ads were already in the spotlight. Probably Adelson and Bartlett don't even consider Mark Perkins as a contender. Of course as we get closer to election day, don't be surprised if Adelson and Bartlett starts slinging mud towards Perkins. But, I hope Mr. Perkins just rises above it all and ignores them.
	Report Comment Lance-a-lot, Tulsa (10/23/2009 3:54:03 PM) I bet I can pick out the two Adelson supporters from the comments above.
	Report Comment orly, Tulsa (10/23/2009 3:55:59 PM) I like most of what I am hearing. Hopefully he will continue to be more vocal and let people know where he stands. If he will, I think maybe, just maybe, he can pull this off.
	Report Comment Mar, Tulsa (10/23/2009 3:56:43 PM) Who Lance-a-lot? pdillo and Tulsa Life?
	Report Comment orly, Tulsa (10/23/2009 3:56:50 PM) lol Lance...kind of easy wasnt it
	Report Comment born okay the 1st time, tulsa (10/23/2009 4:24:52 PM) Wow, I need spellcheck. LOL I type too fast. foloks=folks. lol
	Report Comment terryf, (10/23/2009 4:25:30 PM) Mark I am in your corner. I was a Bartlett fan but his negative ads have run me away because I question his own character in choosing to run on this manner.
	Report Comment beau3985, Tulsa (10/23/2009 4:31:19 PM) I like Mark. Does he even have a remote chance of winning? Or is he the "Ron Paul" of this election.
	Report Comment Thunder196, Tulsa (10/23/2009 4:48:53 PM) Lance LOL
	Report Comment cobweb, (10/23/2009 4:51:40 PM) I hope Perkins is elected. It would stop this nonsense once and for all.
	Report Comment etroadrunner, Bixby (10/23/2009 4:52:02 PM) Thank you Mark. The city of Tulsa and it's citizens deserve a much higher level of ethics that either Bartlett or Adelson represent. Their actions have been truly an embarrassment. Best of luck.
	Report Comment Thunder196, Tulsa (10/23/2009 4:52:07 PM) He has a chance as far as I'm concerned. . I have no plans on voting for Bartlett or Adelson. TW even called them gentlemen trying to get the mud slinging stopped. That didn't even work. . If Bartlett or Adelson wins, its because they have money and coat tails to ride. Not because they are worthy.

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