Friday, February 24, 2006

The Mayor of Tulsa, Florida

KOTV and KTUL are running with a story on Kathy Taylor's back tax problem in Florida. It appears she may have filed for a homestead exemption in both states.

This begs the obvious question. Which state is her "homestead" located in? If she filed it in Florida at some recent time, then obviously she wasn't calling Tulsa her home.

How long has she been a Tulsan?

Read more at BatesLine.com.

Thursday, February 16, 2006

Medlock/Miller Sighting

Most likely, the rumor has already begun to spread that Randi Miller and I were spotted this morning having fried mozarella sticks at Baxter's Interurban Grill, downtown.

How am I so certain? First, because it's true and second, because we walked past four employees of the Public Works Department who were seated four booths away, as we left the restaurant. Given the way rumors rocket about City Hall, why deny it?

So...what was up? Long and short of it, on Tuesday, Commissioner Miller called me to discuss what was happening to our yard signs and other campaign issues that are common conversations between primary opponents. At the end of the conversation she said we should get meet sometime, if I got the chance. I aked her, "before? Or after?"

I meant...of course...before or after the primary election?

She told me before.

So, I checked my schedule and found that I had time available to meet this morning. I told her so during yesterday's Mayoral Forum at the TU Law School, so we set up the meeting for today at 11 AM at Baxter's.

I was a little early and she was a little late, so I read this week's Urban Tulsa Weekly, especially concentrating on Michael Bates' column on the TREC Forum that went so well for our campaign, as well as Barry Friedman's take on the situation with ORU and the Miller campaign.

The conversation lasted less than twenty minutes and was very amicable, as are almost all of the conversations I've had with Randi.

It was agreed, for the most part, that what we talked about was between us and I will keep it that way. However, given the way people like to talk, I think it is fair to disclose what was not discussed.

Neither one of us discussed the other dropping out of the race and joining forces to defeat Bill LaFortune. I have made a commitment to my supporters to stay in the race to the end and to do everything I can to win. I have no doubt, Commissioner Miller has made similar promises.

We were...it is also fair to say...united in the fact that we are both seeking to be Tulsa's next mayor, because of our great disappointment in the performance of our fellow Republican, Bill LaFortune.

With that said, let the rumors fly!

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Composition or "Compost?"

Buried in the last two paragraphs of the Tulsa World's coverage of yesterday's mayoral candidate forum held by the Tulsa Real Estate Coalition (TREC) was the following:

"The candidates also spoke of the importance of having a working relationship with the City Council and how they would accomplish that.

"LaFortune blamed his recent discord with the council on the council’s composition."
Hmmm...what exactly does that mean?

Does Bill LaFortune expect, as mayor, that he should have a council that agrees with him on everything? Isn't the challenge of executive leadership exemplified by an ability overcome differences to reach desired end? Just exactly which councilors does Mr. LaFortune work closely with?

The possibility exists that the current reality in which Bill LaFortune finds himself, just four short weeks prior to the mayoral primary vote, might change. However, to date, this startling fact remains.

The incumbent Republican mayor of the City of Tulsa, can not list a single Tulsa City Councilor who is endorsing him for re-election. This is especially stunning given that the current make up of the council with regard to partisan "composition" is six Republicans and three Democrats.

Can anyone envision a sitting governor not having most of the legislator's from his party supporting his re-election? How about a president and his party's congressional delegation.

No...the problem isn't one of composition. The problem is more one of "compost." As in, "keep spreading it on thick and maybe some votes might sprout."