Blake Ewing challenges all Tulsa City Council candidates to buy locally

[JoeMommaBlake]

TULSA, Okla.— Tulsa City Council candidate for District 4, Blake Ewing, announced this Friday a challenge to his fellow candidates to spend their campaign dollars from this point on within the city limits.

"I think it's a little bit silly how much money is raised in these political campaigns," Ewing said, "and candidates are inundated with offers from companies outside the city for items like yard signs, stickers, banners, and more. I'd like us to serve our city throughout our campaigns and make the money count by at least spending it within the city of Tulsa. I'm making that commitment with my campaign, and I hope my fellow candidates will follow suit. I challenge all Tulsa City Council candidates, myself included, to spend all of our campaign dollars from this point forward within our city."

According to the campaign finance reports on record with the city, City Council candidates raised more than $400,000 in contributions during the 2009 election.  Ewing, who was also the founder of the Shop Tulsa Task Force in 2010, says he hopes to see that money go back into the city this time around. He adds, "With so many great local businesses in the Tulsa area, it only makes sense to keep that money circulating in our economy."

The Shop Tulsa initiative was created to raise awareness of the city's funding sources and of the impact of buying as close to home as possible. Tax revenue from all items bought in Tulsa, including campaign materials such as yard signs and mailers, impacts city services such as police officers, firefighters and lighting the city streets.
City council candidates must submit their second round of campaign finance reports on October 31.

For more information contact Allison Broyles at 918.519.3065 or Allison@blakeewing.com. 

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Blake Ewing is a local business owner and republican candidate for City Council District 4. The Blake for Tulsa campaign platform includes five prongs: 1.Provide basic amenities, 2. Promote and improve Tulsa's unique assets, 3. Attract and retain creative people, 4. Support creative development, 5. Create a vibrant urban core. For more information, visit www.blakeewing.com.

[guido911]

Get after it Blake. And while your at it, I unselfishly would appreciate you opening a Joe Mommas let's say, near, uh, oh I don't know, 111th & South Memorial. Just a random area down south a bit.

[Gaspar]

Actually there will be a large upscale retail complex built on 91st and Yale just in front of the new office space (NE corner behind QT.

There are plans for a pad site for a free standing restaurant. I know the owner is trying to court a local offering rather than big chain. 



Awesome Demographic.

http://www.tuscanaonyale.com/uploads/14.pdf

[Conan71]

Meeting some people at JM's tonight.

[Bat Bat]

I received my first political mailer today by Phil Lakin - District 8.

According to the mailer, it was designed, printed, and mailed by Majority Designs out of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

It seems to me that anyone who wants to serve on Tulsa's City Council should buy local.

 

[AquaMan]

Those plans for that mailer were undoubtedly made long before JM's challenge.

I like things being done local as much as anyone. However, one runs the risk of becoming too provincial. What if someone in Owasso mounted a campaign to keep dining local, in Owasso? What if a Toyota dealer in Muskogee advertises in a market where he doesn't pay real estate taxes? How local do you go? District 4 services only? Broken Arrow does that at Christmas and even bribes you with a drawing for local shoppers. That's fine, but you want the best mix of quality and price.

Then there are political alliances that should be honored. For instance a large or influential contributor may expect you to at least consider his son-in-law's printing business for your mailers even though it is out of your market. Its not quid pro quo its just smart business and as we know politics and business are really one and the same.

A nice PR angle though.

[Ibanez]

Actually there will be a large upscale retail complex built on 91st and Yale just in front of the new office space (NE corner behind QT.

There are plans for a pad site for a free standing restaurant. I know the owner is trying to court a local offering rather than big chain. 



Awesome Demographic.

http://www.tuscanaonyale.com/uploads/14.pdf

There is an existing empty restaurant at 121st & Memorial that needs someone to take it over. It was previously a lousy steak place, but would be a great location for me to eat the Incinerator at.

[Ben Wehr]

We don't produce enough or cheap enough to only buy locally. There will always be a place for the local business. Also, when I support any store in the community it also goes to give a paycheck to an employee that may be my neighbor. So one, I'm supporting the option of lower prices and greater selection and helping to employ my neighbor by say... getting my small greek pizza from mazzios for lunch.

[guido911]

There is an existing empty restaurant at 121st & Memorial that needs someone to take it over. It was previously a lousy steak place, but would be a great location for me to eat the Incinerator at.

Yep.

[nathanm]

We don't have printers and sign makers? 

[DolfanBob]

We don't have printers and sign makers? 

There are two right here in the complex that I work at.

[sgrizzle]

I received my first political mailer today by Phil Lakin - District 8.

According to the mailer, it was designed, printed, and mailed by Majority Designs out of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

It seems to me that anyone who wants to serve on Tulsa's City Council should buy local.

 

*cough* He hired a campaign manager who primarily works out of OKC *cough*

And in reality, probably 90% of the signs were printed out of Tulsa.