Rocketman, Tulsa (10/29/2009 5:43:38 PM)

So long Trigger. Horses are really good for public relations, too bad they had to go.

Moses, Jenks (10/29/2009 5:46:51 PM)

What a shame.
These well trained, good looking horses and the police officers who rode them were a great asset to the community.
Every time I saw the mounted patrol there were people and kids gathered around them.
This may not seem like a big deal to some folks but I think the loss is greater than anyone can imagine.
Combine the loss of the mounted patrol with the loss of the police officers who were laid off and the loss of the two police helicopters and it is indeed a very sad time for the City of Tulsa.
There had to be a better way to handle this problem!

Observer3, (10/29/2009 5:57:05 PM)

Kathy Taylor really blew this one. She only has a couple of months to go in her reign, and she has alienated many, many Tulsans with her callous disregard for the beautiful, well-trained, good-will ambassadors for the Tulsa Police Department. Thanks to the many citizens who called the Mayor's office to protest. That is what brought about the decision to find homes for these wonderful horses, instead of putting them on the auction block where just anyone could buy them--and who knows for what purpose. Thank you, Tulsa Community Foundation, and thank you, Tulsans, for stepping up.

drkdt, (10/29/2009 5:58:40 PM)

I guess she values her many assistants more than the mounted patrol (or all the other officers for that matter).

On the other hand, they are going to MUCH needed programs and I'm happy for that. It's sad for the citizens of Tulsa, but it's good for the agencies that will benefit.

soonerguy, Tulsa (10/29/2009 6:15:17 PM)

I just dont get it. All of these decisions by our city leadership are so short sighted.
How exactly are we making progress when we are selling assets (helicopter, horses and equip) that will cost us 5 times as much to buy back when we need them again. We are covering a short term budget lapse by liquidating assets only to create a larger budget issue for the future.

There have got to be better solutions.

Dr. Strangelove, Tulsa (10/29/2009 6:27:19 PM)

What Moses and soonerguy said.

small town gal, okmulgee (10/29/2009 6:34:47 PM)

what i dont get is, isnt the crime going up in tulsa? if so then why are they cutting police officers?

Kilgore.Trout, Tulsa (10/29/2009 6:39:28 PM)

The City Charter needs to be changed to allow for a City Manager to run the city. A City Manager will make hard, long term decisions that will benefit the City of Tulsa. Now politicians will make any short term decision to get themselves elected.

Rocketman & Moses, Agree that the mounted patrol is one of the best public relations program for the police and city. The non-profits are not geared for horses. Hopefully they can stay together. Horses are a herd animal and these horses have been given great care. They earn their feed as great ambassadors and as detriments to unruly behavior in large public events.

getreal, (10/29/2009 6:44:06 PM)

Kathy Taylor may have been short sighted, however, this is nothing like what is to come. The U.S. has turned hard to a European lifestyle. Fewer junk to own and stop spending money like it is printed in the basement. The effect? Lower sales tax revenue. Some will continue to buy buy buy. But, Americans may have learned a hard lesson this time.

The city of Tulsa better be ready for some real budget cuts.

Ol City Boy, (10/29/2009 6:46:17 PM)

Hey, I didn't vote for Mayor Taylor, but sales revenues are down which call for across-the-board cuts in city employees. That can't be her fault. She has worked at no salary and paid all of her own travel expenses....how many Tulsa mayors have done that ??

If you wanna be sore, if the FOP would have been willing to forgo the police cars going home, that savings would have been enough to avoid the 22 officers being laid off.

Nuff said.

tfromtulsa, Tulsa (10/29/2009 6:52:49 PM)

Kitty's $7.2 million BAILOUT to BOK for ITS failed convoluted loan would have saved city jobs and the mounted patrol unit.

Kitty working for no salary has cost this city dearly.

She's nothing more than a crook.

ellen123, broken arrow (10/29/2009 7:01:08 PM)

So now we have half the opportunity to search for criminals and lost children at night without infrared cameras on helocopters. And no real ability to patrol bike paths, and running trails without a mounted patrol. These high end animals should have been sent to another county or city on lease. Now we are going to send them without supervision to a boy's camp to have their feet go without trims or shoeing; their shots and worming not done, and no buy back clause on the city or mounted officer's part so when the animals are to abused and stove up to use they really will go to auction so the meat buyers can send them to their death in Mexican butcher shops. It would be kinder to euthanize the animals now than send them to be abused by angry teenagers and ignored by bored barn help.

007, Tulsa (10/29/2009 7:01:47 PM)

well it beats Parina.

CEE, (10/29/2009 7:16:40 PM)

This is insane! These officers and their horses are valuable assets to the city and are needed to provided essential police services that cannot be handled by other resources.

Where is the City Council on this plan?

Mar, Tulsa (10/29/2009 7:18:08 PM)

I agree with soonerguy, Observer3 and kilgore.trout and also ol city boy.

calloy, you don't throw the baby out with the bath water. It will be more costly to re-purchase horses and helicopters IF we are ever at a point where the city can afford them again.

I feel the leadership including the Mayor and City Council have been very shortsighted. There were plenty of areas to cut in the budget, besides the policemen, helicopter and horses. Perfect example is the Tulsa police that live in other towns taking Tulsa police cars home, that would save a lot of money. Also, several have mentioned about the City Hall glass cube being lit up like a Christmas tree at night. I live where I can see the building and I've seen it lit up all over late at night.

Also, I agree with others, the Mayor has way too many assistants. Hopefully whichever guy we end up with as Mayor will cut in half the amount of assistants.

Casual Reader, Inola (10/29/2009 7:21:57 PM)

This situation has been allowed to 'ride' for so long (the budget crisis). Why can't it 'ride' until this woman is out of office and someone else can call the shots. Ever since I can remember people have complained about her. Isn't there an impeachment procedure that should have been exercised a long time ago? I have never seen such disregard for the wellness of the City of Tulsa as I have seen on her watch. She really had no business staying in office as long as she did. Another question, why did she announce her resignation just a few weeks before she dropped this bombshell? Seem ironic to me. I think the advisors she has is just a slap in the face to everything that is right about City Government. 'Nuff said.

Four Sixteen Rigby, Tulsa (10/29/2009 7:51:32 PM)

C'mon people, this is just Taylor's cutting of a high profile and popular police program to get peoples' attention and get them to support higher taxes.

Nuff, (10/29/2009 8:42:21 PM)

Why isn't anyone miffed at Ron Palmer? His At-will status allows Miss Mayor the ability to lead him around by the nose.

This is her way of getting revenge on the TPD Union. She's been after the take home cars for awhile now. This is how she punishes the Police for not doing what she wanted.

Letting a non-profit buy the horses gets PITA off her tail. I'm sure she didn't want a bunch of protesters in her yard. :)

thanks but no thanks, (10/29/2009 9:01:44 PM)

The City Hall is unsold, One Technology Center is unrented, special projects are unfunded, cronies are overpaid, budget cuts are a ruse to punish the police, despite the worst job marke tin 25 years experienced City staff are fleeing in droves due to a hostile work environment, half of the departments are without a director, the funding for the new ball park is illegal, replacement funds for new defibrillators at EMSA were diverted to fund a new email system...

And all of this is the direct result of the funding sources for municipalities as mandated by the State of Oklahoma Constitution as adopted in 1907.

my view, Sand Springs (10/29/2009 9:10:03 PM)

Having to sell the horses can be sum up in three words.

It's a shame.

UncleNate, (10/29/2009 9:28:15 PM)

We are losing this great asset to save $51,000. I'm sure we could have saved this money somewhere else, maybe a few less Route 66 monuments or something less proactive than the horse patrol.

my view, Sand Springs (10/29/2009 9:37:22 PM)

pissedtulsan,

Take a chill pill.

oklahoma8s, Glenpool (10/29/2009 10:10:00 PM)

From almost everyone’s post I have read it seems that everyone is upset with our Mayor. I can't believe that there isn't other options besides cutting policing for our great community. We are all ready understaffed, however I do agree that if you work outside Tulsa patrol cars should be kept at the station. I am sure this would save money and then the mayors staff and the mayor should take a pay reduction as well. Most of the jobs they are going to cut in the city building is vacant jobs all ready. Let's start trimming in the City Offices first.

fly always, tulsa (10/29/2009 10:12:39 PM)

Tulsa needs to keep the horse patrol and get rid of KT. She screw Tulsa!!!!!! Her value is zero!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Folly, (10/29/2009 10:19:01 PM)

A few years down the line, Tulsa will want a horse unit again and it will cost really big bucks to get it going. What a short-sighted decision this was. Getting rid of police officers with the crime rate the way it is? Another bad decision. There were so many other ways to save money...getting rid of a few of Taylor's over paid assistants would have helped. I bet all the city sponsored Holiday parties & bonuses will go on as scheduled with no cut backs.