Paul Tay



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. Allow entry level officers to complete college requirements while in apprenticeship; Reduce motor vehicle use; Put more officers on bicycles to patrol identified high-crime neighborhoods; Competitive bid event security.
  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. Department heads should serve at the pleasure of the Mayor on an at-will basis; The Mayor should continue to be held accountable to the voters; “Controversy” between City Council and Mayor is simply the GREAT American Democracy System HARD At Work. Get used to it, or leave.
  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. The City should create the regulatory environment needed to exercise curb rights. Daniel B. Klein, Adrian T. Moore, Binyam Reja, Curb Rights: Eliciting Competition and Entrepreneurship in Urban Transit, Brookings Institution Press (June 1997); Divest Tulsa Transit to save $10 million; Extend requests for proposals to qualified private contractors to provide fixed route and paratransit service.
  7. What would be your top three priorities if you are elected?
  8. Put more police officers on bicycles reducing the use of motor vehicles, to save $15 million; Renegotiate water contracts to recoup $500 million over 40 years; Work with City Council to amend Title 42, the zoning code, to 1) Waive off-street parking requirements for LEED-certified in-fill developments; 2) Repeal use-based codes; and 3) to increase the profitability of mixed-use in-fill development along designated transit corridors.