1. For the first time in 30 years, Tulsa will be creating a new Comprehensive Plan. What do you think are the key issues that need to be addressed in the Comp Plan?

No matter what items are on the Comprehensive Plan, they are all secondary priorities right now. The top priority is to fix the streets. That could take as long as 10 years to bring them to “average grade.” The annual budget for all city services is approximately $500 million. The street repairs as estimated at $1.6 billion. Still, the comprehensive plan is important to us all.

2. What kind of downtown do you envision for Tulsa? What kind of downtown do you think we need in order to compete effectively with other cities?

Downtown Tulsa needs a serious fix. It won’t be easy. No question, downtown Tulsa needs to again become a center of business and commerce with great retail stores, large and small. I want to see it populated with good restaurants, bistros and coffee shops. It needs to be a gathering place for people from all over the Tulsa metropolitan area. We need more hotels to house people coming to the remodeled convention center and other events. We need more downtown housing too. I want to see a really good public transport system that serves all of Tulsa—not just a few—to make coming downtown easy.

3. What steps can Tulsa take to stop the sales tax drain from the city to suburban municipalities?

If we can develop downtown Tulsa and draw in brand-name stores, hotels and restaurants, we will be able to draw people from all of the suburban cities and towns looking for a bigger selection of restaurants and entertainment. Then we can not just diminish the sales tax drain, but reverse it.

4. 30% of Tulsans don’t drive (the young, the elderly, the disabled, those who can’t afford a car, and those who prefer to walk or bike). What can we, as a city, do to make Tulsa more walkable? What role should mass transit play in Tulsa’s future?

Walking trails would have little interest or impact in my district. However, a good mass transit system would provide my neighbors access to all of Tulsa, and especially downtown.

5. The current city council passed a resolution requiring police officers to check the immigration status of “all suspected illegal aliens.” Do you support or oppose this resolution and why?

Just like breaking and entering, trespassing illegally in the United States is also a crime. They are both illegal. I support the resolution which is a statement of support to uphold the law.

6. What should the City of Tulsa do to help support historic preservation efforts, both in neighborhood and downtown? Do you think “old” buildings are important to our future? Why/why not?

Sure, we need to preserve all historic buildings and facilities if they are not past saving. This should not come from public funds—that’s a consideration for corporate and foundation monies dedicated to such purposes. If citizens want to preserve something in their neighborhoods, private funding is the way to go.

7. If an anonymous donor wanted to give each council district $5 million to be spent in any way, how would you spend it?

Five million dollars would fund demolishing abandoned, rotting structures, creating more open spaces where trees could be planted. Part of the funds could be put in a special interest-bearing fund to rehabilitate old buildings still in use as part of a much-needed beautification project in District 3.