Resistance is futile.

Apparently I'm not the first to come up with this idea. Even so, I felt compelled to make my own. Frankly, I think mine is better than what I was able to find on the intertubes.



Don't you get the feeling that Obama is trying to assimilate our country? Sometimes I feel as if resistance really is futile. But of course I know it is not. That that is just what people all over the country did on Friday at the Tea Party. I wanted to be there but I couldn't because I was sick.

Anyway I just wanted to share my latest Photoshop creation with you. Have a good rest of the weekend...and don't get assimilated

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama
Borg
Resistance is futile

Meeciteewurkor is Back!

Mee has dusted off his keyboard and is back in busness. Welcome back Mee!!!

Technorati Tags: Meeciteewurkor

Taco Bueno Responds

A few days ago, I reported my suspicion that Taco Bueno was outsourcing their drive through to India. While I had done quite a bit of research to determine if the call center was indeed in India, I could not completely verify my hunch. To that end, I sent a note to Taco Bueno asking them where their call center was located.

Here is the Reply I received.

Steven,

Thank you for your inquiry of the location of the call center. The call center is a test and has been in place for just a few months. I have read your website and the responses. Our intention is not to deprive the hard working citizens of the Tulsa community employment, but to find a solution to a lack of applicants willing to work in the quick service environment. In similarity to many companies, we are seeking a way to keep the consumer happy. The call center is a test to see if it can be a solution by having someone full-time, 100% dedicated, to just taking drive-thru orders. It is a response to guests' needs, but if it fails to help, we will discontinue. We have been listening to feedback for years from our guests about being shorthanded, having long waits, and inaccurate orders. We are striving to be premier and progressive in response to those needs. The comments are heard and will be top of mind as we pursue a solution. We will also be sensitive to the morale of our team. Our people is our greatest asset and will be the the biggest part of any solution we reach.

On a personal note, I understand the skepticism. With folks hungry for employment, outsourcing is the last thing a company should do. It should be noted, however, we have not had to terminate anyone for lack of hours. In fact, now that the drive thru order taking is a no longer a multi-task function, it has generated an increase in sales compared to control in the Tulsa market. Also, to note, we also have another test in place that is further enhancing the ability to apply for employment and receive more applicants. It helps ensure we have a higher quality candidate and enables us to find positions for them in other locations as well. The call center is not a decision based on economics, but rather to help expedite our drive thrus. We will keep a watchful eye on this test and keep comments such as yours in the forefront.

Thank you again for taking the time to voice your concern. I would enjoy the opportunity to meet you to discuss further. Please let me know if you are available.

Brian Aga
Taco Bueno
Director of Operations Oklahoma
972-XXX-XXXX ext. XXXX

Interestingly enough, my note to Bueno did not hint that I thought it was in India, nor did I mention my previous post. Either Mr. Aga did his research or Bueno does a good job of trolling the Blogsphere (or a bit of both). Also, notice that he did not directly answer my question. I'll assume that my suspicion was correct, and that it is indeed in India.


Technorati Tags: Taco Bueno
drive through
outsourcing

Screwtape on Democracy

We finished reading C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape letters in Sunday School. This book contains the fictional letters of a senior demon in Hell, Screwtape, to his nephew Wormwood. Screwtape is giving Woormwood advice and admonition in his efforts to win the soul of his patient to Hell. In the Last chapter, Screwtape is at the annual dinner of the Tempters' Training College for young devils where he proposes a toast to the young devils.

I'm blown away about what Screwtape has to say about Democracy. It is really quite frightening.

Democracy is the word with which you must lead them by the nose. The good work which our philological experts have already done in the corruption of human language makes it unnecessary to warn you that they should never be allowed to give this word a clear and definable meaning. They won't. It will never occur to them that democracy is properly the name of a political system, even a system of voting, and that this has only the most remote and tenuous connection with what you are trying to sell them. Nor of course must they ever be allowed to raise Aristotle's question: whether "democratic behaviour" means the behaviour that democracies like or the behaviour that will preserve a democracy. For if they did, it could hardly fail to occur to them that these need not be the same.

You are to use the word purely as an incantation; if you like, purely for its selling power. It is a name they venerate. And of course it is connected with the political ideal that men should be equally treated. You then make a stealthy transition in their minds from this political ideal to a factual belief that all men are equal. Especially the man you are working on. As a result you can use the word democracy to sanction in his thought the most degrading (and also the least enjoyable) of human feelings. You can get him to practice, not only without shame but with a positive glow of self-approval, conduct which, if undefended by the magic word, would be universally derided.
...
Under the influence of this incantation those who are in any or every way inferior can labour more wholeheartedly and successfully than ever before to pull down everyone else to their own level. But that is not all. Under the same influence, those who come, or could come, nearer to a full humanity, actually draw back from fear of being undemocratic.
...
What I want to fix your attention on is the vast, overall movement towards the discrediting, and finally the elimination, of every kind of human excellence – moral, cultural, social, or intellectual. And is it not pretty to notice how “democracy” (in the incantatory sense) is now doing for us the work that was once done by the most ancient Dictatorships, and by the same methods? You remember how one of the Greek Dictators (they called them “tyrants” then) sent an envoy to another Dictator to ask his advice about the principles of government. The second Dictator led the envoy into a field of grain, and there he snicked off with his cane the top of every stalk that rose an inch or so above the general level. The moral was plain. Allow no preeminence among your subjects. Let no man live who is wiser or better or more famous or even handsomer than the mass. Cut them all down to a level: all slaves, all ciphers, all nobodies. All equals. Thus Tyrants could practice, in a sense, “democracy.” But now “democracy” can do the same work without any tyranny other than her own. No one need now go through the field with a cane. The little stalks will now of themselves bite the tops off the big ones. The big ones are beginning to bite off their own in their desire to Be Like Stalks.
....
Of course, this would not follow unless all education became state education. But it will. That is part of the same movement. Penal taxes, designed for that purpose, are liquidating the Middle Class, the class who were prepared to save and spend and make sacrifices in order to have their children privately educated. The removal of this class, besides linking up with the abolition of education, is, fortunately, an inevitable effect of the spirit that says I’m as good as you. This was, after all, the social group which gave to the humans the overwhelming majority of their scientists, physicians, philosophers, theologians, poets, artists, composers, architects, jurists, and administrators. If ever there were a bunch of stalks that needed their tops knocked off, it was surely they. As an English politician remarked not long ago, “A democracy does not want great men.”

It would be idle to ask of such a creature whether by want it meant “need” or “like.” But you had better be clear. For here Aristotle’s question comes up again.

We, in Hell, would welcome the disappearance of democracy in the strict sense of that word, the political arrangement so called. Like all forms of government, it often works to our advantage, but on the whole less often than other forms. And what we must realize is that “democracy” in the diabolical sense (I’m as good as you, Being Like Folks, Togetherness) is the fittest instrument we could possibly have for extirpating political democracies from the face of the earth.

For “democracy” or the “democratic spirit” (diabolical sense) leads to a nation without great men, a nation mainly of subliterates, full of the cocksureness which flattery breeds on ignorance, and quick to snarl or whimper at the first sign of criticism. And that is what Hell wishes every democratic people to be. For when such a nation meets in conflict a nation where children have been made to work at school, where talent is placed in high posts, and where the ignorant mass are allowed no say at all in public affairs, only one result is possible.

Wow!

You can read the whole chapter here.


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The Screwtape Letters
C.S. Lewis
democracy

Thank You, Come Again

We decided to eat Taco Bueno for lunch today because it's well...more Bueno. I pulled into the drive through and noticed something interesting. Based on his accent, I determined that the gentleman who was taking my order was Indian. No not Oklahoma Indian...India Indian.

I became suspicious; when I pulled forward to pay, I asked if the gal who took my money if the person that took my order was actually in the building. She said no, that he was in a call center somewhere. "I'm not sure where," she said. I thought to myself, "Yeah, I know where it is." I bet you $10 bucks Taco Bueno's drive through call center is in India. "Thank you, come again."

Technorati Tags: Taco Bueno
drive through
outsourcing

Coloring Obama for President’s Day

I looked into my Eldest’s school folder this morning and found this.

I’m fairly certain that she never brought home a picture of Bush for President’s Day.

Oy veh!

She knows we don’t like Obama, we had told her the reasons we don’t like him during the election. We explained the difference between the liberal and conservative ideologies, what Obama believes, and why we did not want him to be president.

When he won she was pretty upset, as was I. We have told her that, he is our president now and we should not say bad things about him because he was put in place by God to be our leader (Romans 13:1). This is a rule that we have a hard time keeping ourselves. We have to watch our mouth when we are watching the news, especially when we hear about what Obama has to say about the spendulus bill or any number of other things that drive us crazy. This is not to say that we don’t offer dissenting opinion in our house, we are just striving to be as respectful as possible (which is very hard…very hard! We probably wouldn’t do it if we weren’t raising children).

So when she came home with that picture, I had to restrain the expression of my displeasure. There is no real reason why she shouldn’t color a picture of Obama for President’s Day, and it isn’t going to make her a liberal when she grows up…still though…


Technorati Tags:Barack Obama
parenting

Woot Off Disappointment

I wasn't fast enough. :-(

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woot off
bag of crap

Downtown Parking Update

After at least 20 emails back and forth between myself and several people at City Hall, I have finally received an acceptable response to my email to the Council. I’m not 100% sure that the information I’m about to give you is correct; some of the 20 emails that went back and forth had contradictory information. With that caveat in mind, here is how downtown parking for regularly scheduled evening City Council meetings works.

Go downtown, to park try to park in Lot F (the PAC lot). If there is a PAC event, and you don’t want to pay to park you can go to the free optional lot aka Lot J. If Lot J is full or for some reason you cant park there, go to the North Garage. Apparently, because the North Garage is in a Trust, they are required to charge for parking there. As such, it won’t ever be free to park in the North Garage. Your other options are to try to find a spot in the street, or go home.

Because I’m a nerd/geek and I think everything is better explained with a chart, graph, diagram, drawing, or picture, please to enjoy my little downtown parking process diagram.

In addition, here is a map to help with geography.

View Larger Map

Technorati Tags: Tulsa
Tulsa City Council
Downtown Parking

Get out the way we got a Woot Off

Woot.com is having a Woot Off today!!!

I really really want a Bandoleer of Carrots


Here's hoping I can hit F5 fast enough...

Technorati Tags: woot
woot off
bag of crap

DTV Transition Mess

Last week I reported that Congress passed a bill that would delay the transition of analog television singles over to Digital. I've nothing but disdain for this act, which John Sullivan voted yes for. In my opinion this is the second dumbest thing that congress has done this year. The first obviously being the massive "stimulus" bill.

Anyway I digress. In my previous post I provided the reasons I think this delay is ridiculous. It seems, however, that I missed the icing on the cake. The AP is reporting that Congress gave stations the option of keeping the Feb 17 date. Apparently some 641 stations have decided to stick to the original date(today).

A patchwork of 641 stations across the country, mainly in thinly populated areas, are still turning off their analog broadcasts this week or have already done so. The most populous markets where many or all major-network stations are cutting analog include San Diego and Santa Barbara, Calif.; Providence, R.I.; La Crosse and Madison, Wis.; Rockford, Ill.; Sioux City, Iowa; Waco, Texas; Macon, Ga.; Scranton, Pa.; and Burlington, Vt.

"I think this whole delay is ridiculous," said Robert Prather, president of Gray Television Inc., an Atlanta-based company that owns 36 stations. "It's just going to cause confusion among consumers. There's no reason in the world for it that I can understand."

No one really knows how many viewers will be affected this week. Nielsen Co. said 5.8 million U.S. households, or 5.1 percent of all homes, were not ready for the analog shutdown, but it's unclear how many of them are in early-shutdown areas. Also, the National Association of Broadcasters has taken issue with Nielsen's numbers, saying they exaggerate the problem by counting households that have digital converters but haven't connected them.

"The ones who aren't going to be ready aren't going to be ready in June any more than they are now," Prather said.

Excellent Congress...good work, you guys have taken a complex and confusing issue and made it 10 times worse.

Technorati Tags: DTV
Digital Television Transition
John Sulivan

The Public Works Scandal

I have waited for some perspective as well as some additional information before writing about the scandal in the Tulsa Public Works department. By now, you have no doubt read about this in the paper, or seen a story about it on TV. For the basis of this post, I will assume you have at least a 10,000 ft view’s understanding of the public corruption charges of fraud, bribery, conspiracy and money laundering down at Public Works.

As a member of Tulsa Sales Tax Overview Committee, I’m not sure how unique my perspective is, but it has afforded me the ability to access people in the Finance department, as well as the Public Works department. As such, I’ve been exposed to their unique perspective, and I’ll do my best to share that with you.

What about the STOC?
My first reaction was to question the role of the STOC. The natural question is should we have caught this? After all, our roll is to watch third penny sales tax projects and report to the council their progress, their problems and the status of the budget. The answer fortunately, or depending on how you look at it, unfortunately is no. The fraud was perpetrated from the inside, with insider’s knowledge. It was designed in such a way as not to trigger the safeguards that have been put in place to catch fraud, and not to bring attention.

The allegations
With regard to the actual allegations, I’ll share what I know about them. There were two basic components to the corruption as I understand it. The first revolves around the inflation of the final payment to the contractor(s), and the second, around bribes to affect the awarding of contracts.

Final payment inflation
The way this particular fraud worked is somewhat complicated. The reader’s digest version is that the accused would change the billable quantities in the final bill to an amount higher than what they were actually owed. Since any project that goes over the ordinance or the encumbrance amount will raise red flags and causes all kinds of unwanted attention, the changes in the final payment would not go over these amounts. What they would do is soak up what ever was left in the project without causing any suspicion. The real bill would go through the system and get all the proper approvals, and then at the last second, the real bill would be switched for a fake bill. It is the fake bill that would be submitted for payment.

I know that the City is taking steps to re-engineer its payment processes so that this can not happen again.

Money for Contracts
I sat in a meeting with Paul Zachary from Public Works and he said, “We do not award contracts over here, we advertise them from here.” The awarding of contracts happens downtown at City Hall through the City Clerk’s office with representatives from Finance, Legal, and the contract administrators.

In one allegation, there was money taken to influence the awarding of a contract, but the individual who took the money could not have influenced who won the contract. As previously stated, Public Works does not award construction contracts, they only advertise them.

The second allegation regarding bribes for contracts has to do with the professional services selection committee. In that committee, one of the decisions they make regards who will perform the inspection each project once it is complete. It is preferred that the firm that designs a project also performs the inspection. Money was given to influence the PSSC to award the designer of a particular project the inspection job. I asked what would have happened if no money had been exchanged? Would that firm still have gotten the inspection, would anything different have happened? The answer was no because in the preferred process, the designer does the inspection.

If this particular set of indictments did not make any since to you that is probably because it does not make any sense. It was really pretty dumb for money to exchange hands because the person who took the money really did not have the power to make anything happen.

What steps the City needs to take here is a bit unclear. One of the ideas is to give the designers of a project the first right to inspect the final project.

Will we find out about others in the City who were involved?
It is my understanding that the indictments will be added to and amended, but not to add any further City or Public Works staff. Paul Zachary told the STOC in a subcommittee meeting that he was informed by the FBI and attorney’s office that no additional City of Tulsa staff is involved.

Now that the authorities know who was on the inside perpetrating the fraud, they can now work closely with city officials to aid in the investigation. Apparently the FBI had already vetted everyone. Zachary shared with us a bit about what that was like, “They (the FBI) have been following me for over 18 months. They know where my kids are, they know what college my oldest daughter is at. They know what she is doing as well as her finances, my school loans. Just about feeling pretty violated except for being able to sit in that office right across the hall. And told that our reputation precedes ourselves, and we are cleared, so that kind of makes it all worth it.” He also shared with us what it was like to find out that someone he had worked so closely with had been involved in a scheme to defraud the city. “It’s been (like) a death, but in a lot of ways it’s more like a marriage issue where there’s been an infidelity.…Death is somewhat expected in life, you never expect to be betrayed.”

I have mixed emotions when it comes to Public Works. As a Tulsa Blogger, I’ve seen and heard things that give me good cause to be fairly skeptical of this department. However, as a member of the STOC I’ve seen how dedicated the heads of the different departments in Public Works are to completing sewer, storm water, and street projects on time and on budget. I know how seriously they take their jobs, and it has been a pleasure for me to get a glimpse of what goes on in Public Works. I’m very relieved that no one I’ve met or sat in meetings with is a part of this scandal. It is my hope that this scandal will cause changes to Public Works that will make it stronger, and more effective that it was before. I hope that it will not take very long for confidence to return to the Citizens of Tulsa; confidence that their tax dollars are being used wisely, and that the projects that they voted for are being preformed and completed with the highest quality.


Technorati Tags: Tulsa
Public Works
public corruption

Shaka, when the walls fell

This morning, I awoke to the sound of breaking glass...A LOT of breaking glass...a steady stream of broken glass, almost as if someone was systematically breaking every glass in the kitchen. My first reaction was to think that we were being broken into, except I knew it was late enough into the morning that the kids where downstairs.

My second reaction was to yell down stairs, "STAY PUT...DON'T MOVE!!!" I knew whoever the responsible party was, they would not be wearing shoes. I didn't want them to get cut so I kept yelling that as I ran downstairs. When I got down there, I saw my oldest on the kitchen counter with her hands in the cabinet, trying to hold a shelf up while glass fell around her.




"I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!! I'M SORRRRRIEEEEEEEE!" she cried. What were you doing? "I was trying to get some candy."

Shaka, when the walls fell...This is something she knows she is not supposed to do. She is not supposed to climb on the counter, and she is not supposed to get into candy. This has been a discussion we have had many times.

As I proceeded with her punishment (a drop of Tabasco in her mouth) she said, "I said I was sorry!" To which I replied, "I'm sure you are, but look around you." "But I didn't know that was going to happen!" "That is why you don't do things you are not supposed to, because your actions have consequence."

I've since cleaned up the glass, and added supports to the shelf to keep it from failing again...what a morning.

Technorati Tags: parenting
obscure Star Trek reference
Tamarian language
broken glass

The Inequitable Daddy Tax

In our house, the Daddy Tax is when I take food from my kids and proclaim, "Daddy Tax". One of my kids recognized this for what it was, stealing. This morning, I levied the Daddy Tax on my oldest, who has over time become more comfortable with the tax. However, when I did not levy the tax against her sister she said, "Hey, her too!" When I told her no, she replied, "Hey! That's not fair."

My reply, "Hey neither are taxes!"


Technorati Tags: taxes
parenting

Did Union Public Schools Engage in Electioneering?

Precinct 151 votes at the Union Intermediate High School. Today citizens that reside inside the district had to vote on whether or not to pass a $20,000,000 school bond. When I arrived at the polling place at about 5:30 I noticed a poster on the window that wasn't 50 feet from the poll booth that I would consider pro-bond. It said "We're #1 in the State," "Be True to Your School," and "Successful Proposition will not Increase Taxes!"

That's electioneering Folks. This poster has the Union symbol all over it, it suggests that voting yes makes you true to your school, and that voting no will keep us from being number one in the State. Even though I support this proposition and voted yes, I have to call em' like I see em' and on this one I call shenanigans!





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Tulsa
electioneering

Cognitive Itch Wars

A common theme in our office is the cognitive itch, or earworm; those horrible jingles or songs that you cannot get out of your mind. Usually I am the perpetrator of some song that becomes stuck in everyone’s mind. My favorite target is my boss who seems to be particularly susceptible to this phenomenon.

There is an old Kingon proverb that tells us that, “Revenge is a dish best served cold.” Well it is very cold…in…wait that doesn’t work. Anyway, my boss has served me a cold dish of Informer by Snow. This song is particularly insidious because none of the words are comprehensible so you brain tries to make sense of them. Watch this video at your own risk.

It seems the trick is to replace the offending jingle with a tune that is tolerable to you. Unfortunately, the task seems to be difficult in this case. My current attempt is to replace Informer with Blister in the Sun by the Violent Femmes.

This does not seem to be working however. This is what I hear in my mind, “Let me go on like I blister in the sun. Let me go on… Informer, blah blah blah blah blah. A licky boom boom down!”

It looks like my boss has won this round.


[UPDATE]
Ahh the sweet relief of Beastie Boys - Intergalactic. So long Informer! You plague me no longer.


Technorati Tags: cognitive itch

DTV Delay Act- passed

The House passed a bill (264-158, 10 Not Voting) that will delay the transition to digital television until June 12. Rep. John Sullivan voted YES...Perhaps I should have called and voiced my opposition to this bill. (Although I do not think it would have done much good. I find that Sullivan is often on the wrong side of Telcom issues and issues of technology...in my opinion anyway)

I'm not opposed to giving the coupons for the transition, but I am opposed the delay. This transition was confusing enough already. The Government kicked off a huge public education campaign, telling everyone the switch was going to happen this month, only to delay it to June...Stupid.

In addition, billions of dollars were spent by the private sector to buy the airwaves that are being vacated by the existing TV broadcasts. We should let them have what they paid for sooner, not later. I'm looking forward to the innovation they will create with these airwaves in their hands.

On a separate note, and to Sullivan's credit, he did vote against the latest stimulus bill.

To keep track of your congressional representative and your senators you can sign up for the MegaVote mailer from congress.org. They will send you an email with the voting activities of your elected officials on The Hill.

Technorati Tags: DTV
Digital Television Transition
John Sulivan

Union Bond Issue Today

If you live in the Union Public School District, you need to vote on whether or not to pass the latest bond issue. This year it is a 20 million dollar bond, a bit more than last year.

Here are the last several bond amounts.

Mar 03, 2008: $19,400,000
Feb 13, 2007: $17,000,000
Feb 14, 2006: $15,200,000
Feb 8, 2005: $13,000,000
Feb 24, 2004: $17,000,000**
Feb 11, 2003: $16,000,000**
**Remember that Union school bonds are on a 5 year cycle. The new one coming on with the oldest one dropping off.

As you can see, the general trend is for the amount to go up a bit every year. I think the idea is to each taxpayer’s total burden at about the same level. Since the size of the union district is growing from a property tax standpoint, the idea is they can spend more with out actually having to raise the tax by spreading the extra cost of the newest bond amongst a greater number of taxpayers. (I wonder if that still works when housing prices are falling)

Here is the list of things the money is being used for this year.

Grove Elementary School Remodel: $4,500,000
Performing Arts Center (High School) Upgrade: $1,300,000
Softball/Baseball Complex (Intermediate HS): $2,200,000
Textbooks, media books, instructional/business software/equipment: $930,0004
Computer/technology/software/equipment for students, teachers and business: $2,452,500
Major repairs/roof/chillers/T-8 Lighting/Millwork/Carpet: $4,997,500
8th Grade Center Gymnasium Renovation: $405,000
Site allocations/Media allocations: $1,080,000
Security cameras & equipment/VoIP phone upgrades: $235,000
Fine Arts, Spirit, and Athletic Equipment & Uniforms: $830,000
Maintenance, Operations, and Transportation Equipment: $320,000
Contingency and Fees: $750,000
Total: $20,000,000

Even with my doubts about the continuing power of the tax base, I'll still be voting yes on today's bonds. Although I'll admit, if I didn't have kids in Union I'd probably vote no.


Technorati Tags: Union Public Schools
school bond
vote

Coburn Responds to Bridge Issue

Before my self imposed blogging hiatus, I told you about the latest attempt to build the South Tulsa Bridge by the Creek Nation. The reader's digest version is that the Indians can put their land in a trust which would allow them to bypass state and local laws concerning the building of a bridge in South Tulsa. Per the STCC's recommendation, I wrote my Senators regarding this issue. The following is Senator Coburn's reply.

Dear Mr. Roemerman,

Thank you for your letter regarding a potential bridge over the Arkansas River. I appreciate hearing from you on this issue.

Like you, I have read in the local press of possible plans by the Muscogee Creek Nation to build a bridge connecting Tulsa and Jenks. While the decision to build the bridge itself is a local decision, and is best left that way, like you, I have many questions about the tribe's involvement.

As you may know, it is likely that any land acquired by the tribe would be placed in the land-in-trust process, which would remove the land out of the local and state jurisdiction. This has broad implications for property rights, business development, and the management of the Arkansas River.

For these reasons, I am greatly concerned and will watch this situation closely.

Thank you again for writing. Please keep in touch.

Sincerely, A

Tom A. Coburn, M.D.
United States Senator

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Jenks
Bixby
South Tulsa
Toll Bridge
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South Tulsa Citizens Coalition
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Tom Coburn

Tulsa City Parking Downtown

Hello, It has been along time since I've posted on my blog. It hasn't been for lack subject matter, It seems that I've just been in a no-blogging rut. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it I've just had an experience that has made my blood boil enough to wake me from my blogging slumber. I went downtown to attend the City Council Meeting and was unable to park for free because of a special event.

The City has always provided free parking for Council Meetings in the past. Apparently parking revenue for special events is more important than the right of the citizens of Tulsa to enjoy their government in action at City Council Meetings. Here is the letter I just wrote the council. We will see if get an acceptable response.

Councilor Eagleton and members of the Tulsa City Council,

I write this note even as I'm supposed to be giving the Sales Tax Overview Committee's monthly report before The Council. I was unable to park in the City of Tulsa parking lot for free, due to a special event downtown. The parking attendant told me that free parking for City Council Meetings did not apply during special events. Since I did not have any cash on hand, I was unable park. As such I was unable to attend tonight's meeting.

When City Hall was located at the old building I was always able to park for free, even during special events. As far as I know that had always been the case. It is my sincerest hope that this has all been some misunderstanding. If not, I fear that the move to One Technology Center has made us lose our way. It is important that the average citizen have unencumbered access to the Council Meetings, as we have in the past. If this is not a misunderstanding, but the current policy at our new location, I strongly urge you to re-visit the polices surrounding downtown parking.

Regards,
Steven H Roemerman Sr

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Tulsa City Council
Downtown Parking