Maria Barnes



Q&A

  1. A recent presentation by a city councilor showed Tulsa's overall police and fire budget has grown more than three times above the rate of inflation over the last 40 years without adding manpower in at least the last decade. It has been described as "unsustainable growth" with the city's current level of revenue. How would you propose to address this situation?
  2. While I disagree with some of the figures that were presented regarding the police and fire budget, I do not think anyone can argue with the fact that the city’s revenue simply is failing to meet its costs. Of course, every budget must be scrutinized to ensure that money is being spent wisely. At the same time, the city’s dependence upon sales tax leaves it particularly vulnerable to economic ups and downs, and only so many budget cuts can be made before service is compromised. When it comes to public safety, I will not tolerate compromised service. Therefore, in the long run, we must explore better ways to achieve revenue for the city.
  3. Over the last several years, controversy between the City Council and mayor's administration has triggered discussions about changing from the current strong mayor- council form of government to a city manager-council form of government and about having Tulsa's elected offices be non-partisan. Would you support either of these ideas? Why or why not?
  4. Disagreement in politics is as American as apple pie. It becomes a problem only when politicians refuse to work together and to compromise. I have a good record of working with other city councilors and the mayor, despite party differences. When we elect officials that put the city above self-interest, our system works well.

    A tremendous amount of thought was given to adopting our current system in 1989, and I am hesitant to dismiss it. If there is too much controversy in City Hall, what is the evidence that a new system would result in less controversy? No system is without its issues, or conflict. Still, many cities use a city manager form of government, and I would like to explore the pros and cons of that system. Ultimately, the citizens of Tulsa should decide, and I have great faith that the democratic process will result in the best system.

    As for non-partisan elections, I favor a compromise between the current system and a system that is entirely non-partisan. I am a democrat, and would be against a system that prohibited me from identifying my party. Many voters look to party affiliation to determine who shares their core belief and principals. In elections where only one party attracts candidates, partisan elections disenfranchise people by determining the winner in a closed party primary. In these elections, I would support moving the election from the primary to the general, and allowing all registered voters to vote on the candidates. Tulsans should decide this issue as well, and I will support whatever decisions they make.
  5. Improving mass transit (i.e. additional bus service, rail lines, etc.) has been a major topic of discussion through the city's ongoing PlaniTulsa comprehensive planning process. Do you believe Tulsa's public transportation system needs improvement? Please explain.
  6. As a member of the Human Rights Commission, I look at public transportation as a human rights issue. People, who cannot drive, for whatever reason, should not be deprived of the ability to get to work, to school, to church, or to a grocery store. Those who have tried to go a day without a car will understand how difficult that is in our city. For every dollar spent on transportation, our city currently spends one penny on public transportation. That simply is not sufficient. I understand that current budget issues place restrictions on what can be done. But we need to do something. We must begin thinking of the future. Tulsa is likely to go on the dirty air list under the current EPA standards. Reducing even a few cars on the road will go a long way to helping reduce our ozone days, and in the long run save us money. The current administration is making available many grants to help improve public transportation; the city needs to take advantage of available federal funds.

    As a member of the Citizen’s Advisory Committee for PlaniTulsa, I am excited to have learned about so many opportunities for public transportation that won’t break our budget. For example, dedicated bus lanes, with fixed stops on high traveled corridors, such as 71st street, could provide a great service for relatively low cost. We need to begin looking at such options right away.
  7. What would be your top three priorities if you are elected?
  8. 1. Public Safety: Meth labs and gang activity are on the rise in Tulsa. We need to ensure that our police and firefighters have the resources they need to fight this ongoing problem. We need more public education on what homeowners can do to create safe neighborhoods.

    2. Infrastructure: Even with our recent vote towards our streets, we need to continue to look for ways to improve our aging and crumbling roadways. We need to look for cost-effective ways to expand and improve public transportation. In District 4, we still have neighborhoods with flooding issues, which prohibit quality infill and revitalization. Infrastructure, along with public safety, should be the city’s number one priority.

    3. Small businesses: District 4, which I consider to be the heart of the city, has many wonderful small businesses. We need to ensure that the city is supporting these companies, and growing more of this type of business. We need to support and promote campaigns like the “Buy Local Tulsa” campaign.