The Tulsa Forum by TulsaNow

Owasso's city council election is over at last.  Despite the braggadocio from the anti-tax/anti-spending folks in the OTA, the vast majority of voters turned their backs on an ideological agenda that would have made the city a plaything for the radical right and their stark vision of city government.  They forgot or never learned that the American people are centrists.  The political pendulum may swing one direction, but it inevitably swings in the other direction as we reject the extremes of either the right or the left.

People form communities for the common good.  What benefits my neighbor - water, sewage, trash pick up, police and fire services, roads, and parks - also benefits my family.  Yet the far-right has adopted a short-sighted vision of our town, our state, and our country that seems to be based solely on personal gain.  In effect, it asks, "What's in it for me?" and ignores the very real needs of others.

Our system of government is based on this realistic view of human behavior, the idea that individuals will act in their own best interest.  We're selfish and greedy.  As a result, we have the system of checks and balances that limit the ability of any individual or group when it comes to grasping power.  Ultimately, voters perform the final check and balance function, and American voters are good at detecting and rejecting bad ideas, though the process may take some time.

Despite all the campaign statements and speeches, new city councilors are an unknown quantity.  There's a certain amount of hope that goes into voting for any newcomer because there's a lack of information about their plans.  Every candidate said the city needs to stop losing money on the golf course, get spending under control, and reduce debt.  No one has specified how those laudable goals could be attained.  We have to wait to see what our new council will do.  As always, the devil is in the details.

If we are to control Owasso's debt, we must reduce spending, raise taxes, or both.  No one likes to see spending cuts, particularly when those cuts mean job losses in a small town.  Chances are, we all know a few city employees, and we can see the painful results of job losses on their families.  On the other hand, no one likes to pay more in taxes, either.   

We elected these folks to make hard choices, choices that would probably keep some of us awake at night.  For that reason alone, they've earned our respect by taking what can often be a thankless job. They deserve our support as they try to resolve the city finances and chart a new path for all of us.  They deserve our comments, both positive and negative, because communication is essential to carrying out their duties.               

Well said Ed.