Bart Ralph Rhoades



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. As a 21 year veteran of the Tulsa Fire Department, I have dedicated my life to public safety. The statistics that were cited fall short in the respect that the Tulsa fire and police forces are required to do more today than they were 15 years ago. The number of runs the Tulsa Fire Department conduct more than tripled since 1993, because of mandates and new requirements.

    Tulsa Fire Department is an all-hazards Fire Department. When a Tulsan calls their fire station, we are trained to handle any all emergencies, major or minor, including hazardous waste spills and major medical emergencies. According to a survey of 10 of our peer cities, Tulsa firefighters are compensated on average 15 percent less than regional fire departments, which include Oklahoma City; Wichita, Kan.; Austin, Texas and Omaha, Neb. Tulsa firefighters are better trained and better equipped to handle dangerous situations.

    I also believe that Tulsa should accept the grant funds to pay for the much need 18 police officers. The recent motion for a budget that would have pushed for the laying off of over 200 firefighters and police was reckless. When it comes to difficult times the fire and police officers proved they are willing to do what is necessary. There willingness to make cuts and furloughs shows a culture of shared sacrifice for the city and citizens they serve.
  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. Our City Council is a mess. Our city councilors need to make a better effort to listen to each other and work together. Simply because you do not see eye to eye with someone, does not mean you stop showing them respect. I will do my best and work hard, but most importantly listen. I will not always agree, but I will be respectful.

    We will always have controversy; it is inevitable and many times it is necessary to come to the best solutions. But we cannot have an environment of disrespect or acrimony. No matter what form of government we choose the problems we need to fix will not be solved until civility is restored.

    In respect to potential changes, I remember the commission form of government Tulsa previously had in place. The commission form had many positive points. I think it would be a benefit for the citizens to consider having an elected Streets Commissioner once again, to handle our neglected roads.

    I am against the idea of non-partisan elections. Just because you remove a party label from the ballot does not mean we will take out the partisan nature of elections. I believe in the two-party system, the competition of ideas is necessary for the best outcomes. As a life-long Republican, I am proud of being a fiscal conservative and thank my parents for raising me with these principals. Partisan politics is apart of who we are as a nation, people with different ideas and beliefs, coming together to better our community and nation.
  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. In order to better serve our citizens, Tulsa needs to make sure our current mass transit system is vastly improved. I believe we should specifically study the possibility of having the River Parks serve has the central line to a light rail or tram system. If we were to leverage the land and existing assets that Tulsa has, we could help control costs and provide for a service that would benefit many Tulsans.
  7. What would be your top three priorities if you are elected?
  8. My top three priorities are

    Public Safety

    Streets

    Economic Development

    Without safe homes and secure neighborhoods, it will be hard for Tulsa to move forward and attract quality jobs. My experience in public safety would be valuable to the planning process. My life is about public safety, my grandfather joined the Fire Department in 1922 and served until his death in 1970. I have served over twenty years on the force. I am running because of the recent attitudes and reckless actions initiated by some members of our City Council. The problems we face are complex and require diligence and hard work. It is no secret our roads are in poor condition. It is time to conduct a performance audit of our systems to make sure that we are good stewards of citizens' tax money.

    We need to focus on bringing good jobs to Tulsa. As we attracted new businesses we must first provide a great business environment for the companies that are already here. As a good friend once told me, "Never pass an old friend to shake hands with a new one." If we work to meet the needs of the businesses that are already in Tulsa, more companies will want to do business here.

    We must assist majors employers like American Airlines to increase their size and presence, while fostering a climate that increases the number of small businesses in Tulsa.
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