Tulsa Police Chief Talks About Cuts

[sgrizzle]

Palmer said he found out he was resigning from TulsaWorld.com

Classy.

[Conan71]

How long before Mayor Bartlet (sic) calls Tom Adelson and asks him if he'd rather be mayor?

[sgrizzle]

New offer:
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=334&articleid=20100122_11_0_hrimgs567828

[Conan71]

"using $2.5 million in Justice Assistance Grant money over 18 months"

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=334&articleid=20100122_11_0_hrimgs567828

Wait- was the grant money not already on the table as part of the accounting by the city in their offer?

[Ibanez]

Lead by example, start cutting from the top.

Honestly they need to come out and cut all the department heads, mayor and city council salaries by 5% before they start chopping elsewhere.

[buckeye]

Just what the hell is going on here?

[Conan71]

Honestly they need to come out and cut all the department heads, mayor and city council salaries by 5% before they start chopping elsewhere.

FOTD will agree, the best start would be marching Charles Hardt to the door.

[Rico]

Just what the hell is going on here?

What's going on here is.. we finally have a Mayor that understands that by laying off a certain number of Policemen that they would no longer have the man-power to respond to calls regarding drugs and prostitution....

Giving Tulsa the final ingredient to be a successful Convention and Entertainment  mega player in the continental USA.

Of course... we might create an atmosphere that would attract some European interest but the sales tax dollars would come barreling in.

Ciao. sp

[FOTD]

FOTD will agree, the best start would be marching Charles Hardt to the door.

NOPE, It was Palmer. Hardt owns this town.

Rico, right on!

[patric]

What's going on here is.. we finally have a Mayor that understands that by laying off a certain number of Policemen that they would no longer have the man-power to respond to calls regarding drugs and prostitution....

Giving Tulsa the final ingredient to be a successful Convention and Entertainment  mega player in the continental USA.

The new chief was the head of the Sheriff's Drug Task Force, so im guessing the flow of tax money wasted down the "war on drugs" toilet wont be diverted towards anything useful (like education and things to occupy restless youths) anytime soon.

[gooberak]

What a nightmare. You know the north side finally got a new grocery store. On opening day, know who was there as if she had really done something? Taylor. Know why that's ironic? Because the FEDS had to MAKE her start looking for one to begin with. Yes, she's where all of this starts on MOST issues we're facing. But Bartlet is no better. I am irate anymore at how all of this has been handled. This should never have happened. Nobody should be losing jobs and nobody should be forced to take pay cuts. This is ridiculous and Bartlet needs to be gone.

[Wilbur]

"using $2.5 million in Justice Assistance Grant money over 18 months"

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=334&articleid=20100122_11_0_hrimgs567828

Wait- was the grant money not already on the table as part of the accounting by the city in their offer?

No.  Palmer requested permission (from Bartlett) to inquire with the Feds about using JAG money to prevent layoffs.  Bartlett ordered him NOT to make that inquiry.  Probably just one of the issues between the Mayor and Palmer.

Just remember...  it's not about the money, and never has been.

[rwarn17588]

Nobody should be losing jobs and nobody should be forced to take pay cuts.

Nobody? When revenues are way down?

So what would your solution be, o newbie?

[Conan71]

No.  Palmer requested permission (from Bartlett) to inquire with the Feds about using JAG money to prevent layoffs.  Bartlett ordered him NOT to make that inquiry.  Probably just one of the issues between the Mayor and Palmer.

Just remember...  it's not about the money, and never has been.

Wait, I thought the JAG money was being used already to save the "Tulsa 21".

Please explain what it is all about if it's not about money. I sure would like to hear the officer's perspective more often on this. Don't be a stranger, Wilbur.

[Wilbur]

Wait, I thought the JAG money was being used already to save the "Tulsa 21".

Please explain what it is all about if it's not about money. I sure would like to hear the officer's perspective more often on this. Don't be a stranger, Wilbur.

People need to investigate and not just take the word of the Mayor's Office.  I'm extremely disappointed in the Tulsa media for not asking the tough questions and for not doing any investigative reporting.  Make an Open Records request and ask to see:

1.  How much money has been transferred OUT of the General Fund (the fund used to pay salaries) in the last six months, last 12 months.  Be sure to ask where that money was transferred to.
2.  How much money came out of the General Fund and went to the BOK Center and Furlough Field.
3.  All transactions of the Sinking Fund.  You will find it went from more than $15M to under $3M in a very short time frame.
4.  All emails between Terry Simonson and Tulsa County Sheriff employees in the last 12 months.
5.  All emails between Tulsa County Sheriff employees and Dewey Bartlett, both before and after the election.
6.  Last pay stub of Terry Simonson and date of his last employment with Tulsa County.

There is a reluctance on behalf of ALL city employees to agree to pay cuts when the Mayor will not ensure no layoffs over a certain time frame.  He will only agree to rescind layoffs starting next Friday.  There isn't a single agreement with any union that says layoffs will not happen between Feb 1 and July 1.  Every employee believes Bartlett/Simonson will get their pay concessions, then layoff in the next couple of months.

And the irony of working for the City, as 367 people are getting their pink slips, the City sends out an internal email of job openings at the city, in addition to the numerous postings on the City's website.  Fools!

Sorry, but I need to be a stranger.