Anna Falling



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. Our great police force is so over-worked in this city, and what thanks do they get for putting their lives on the line daily? They get put in the middle of a political and divisive battle.

    The real solution is to come alongside our community heroes with literally hundreds of new volunteers and resources to help turn around the lives of those trapped in the drug cycle who honestly want a way out.

    The only sector of our community that has the magnitude and fortitude to put together special community outreaches to help juveniles on the brink and those addicted to drugs is the church.

    When I recently asked a Tulsa police sergeant how churches could best help, he said to develop alternate programming for juvenile delinquents, who need a change of environment to get out of this downward spiral. Most important, he said, was for the churches to accept each youth as if they were one of their own.

    Tulsa’s churches, if invited into City Hall in force, could transform our City’s brokenness by helping mentor before real problems arise. This in turn reduces police, courts and juvenile costs, and sees lives transformed.

    Our police officers deserve this kind of support!
  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. No recent mayor has sought to strategically work to help each city councilor be successful in addressing the needs of their district. Instead, mayors and some councilors have lost sight of the fact that the people are the ones we are here to serve.

    Before deciding whether a strong mayor or city manager form of government is needed, we need to elect a mayor who has been a city councilor and has the attitude of supporting each city councilor’s efforts.

    Most city councilors have a good pulse on their districts needs. It would behoove the mayor to help that city councilor with additional research on the district’s needs and resources (staffing & otherwise) to help address those issues.

    If this approach is taken, I believe the form of government will likely be moot. That is my plan as mayor – work with each City Councilor to help them succeed in serving their district.

    As to the partisan/non-partisan question, everyone is looking for the candidate that best approaches solutions the way they think is best. Republicans like to bring private sectors to the table and decrease government control and spending. Democrats typically vote to increase taxes and government as the solution to community ills. Primaries help weed out candidates who go against their party’s core philosophy.

    In the general election, voters can choose which solution works best: more taxes, less private help or less taxes and more private help. We should not take that decision away from the voters with non-partisan elections.
  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. Unfortunately, spending hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars on new bus lines and light rail simply is not economically feasible during this economic downturn.

    Right now, bus riders know the route will not always take them to the intended destination. Limitations to stops and routes make most everyone have to walk at least some distance. In other areas, whole parts of town are simply missing from the bus routes.

    And as most have found, buses do not run to church on Sunday. How do churches address the Sunday issue? They pick up their parishioners in the church vans or buses.

    So what do we do about the poor person who cannot afford a car and has to rely on public transportation to get to work, the doctor or elsewhere?

    I would propose we look at cost-sharing plans between those companies that usually have low income workers, the workers themselves, and the churches of our community whose church vans and buses sit dormant most of the week.

    Why can’t we activate the churches to be part of the solution? They can help provide companies in non-bus route areas with a new transportation solution for their workers, and provide a whole new world of job choices to workers who are currently limited on job choices due to the limited bus routes.

    I believe I am the only candidate with the church and community experience to pull off such a win-win-win collaboration through the mayor’s office.
  7. What would be your top three priorities if you are elected?
  8. 1. Bringing Tulsa's churches into City Hall to receive training and equipping; then activating them in Tulsa's schools, neighborhoods, jails and low-income housing areas to restore wholeness to the community and lower city costs associated with each.

    2. Lower taxes and utility rates so we are more attractive and competitive to companies considering coming here.

    3. Develop infrastructure in West, South East and North Tulsa to encourage business growth and expansion. Accidental growth is rare; we must plan.