In this week’s episode, Ginnie Graham and Bob Doucette talk about the homeless problem in Tulsa. They were both encouraged by recent remarks by Mayor G.T. Bynum on this issue, but Ginnie points out, too, that the public has a responsibility as well. Also discussed were great movies (Plains, Trains and Automobiles) and TV episodes (WKRP in Cincinnati, Friends) that contain a Thanksgiving theme.
Mayor G.T. Bynum says that paying to keep the Tulsa Fire Department’s equipment up to date is a struggle. Nearly a third of aerial ladders, for example, failed inspection earlier this year. Firefighters need to see actions to back up the mayor’s talk about getting this problem fixed. I wouldn’t bet on it — we have an irresponsible mayor.
This fire equipment problem could be very serious with (God forbid) the wrong fire. Fire crews should not be hampered in their efforts to save lives. But Bynum has been reckless with citizens’ lives before, such as allowing an experimental mass rally downtown, despite the concerns of his Health Department.
With Tulsa’s fiscal misallocations, some of which lack adequate transparency, this situation is unsurprising. We are, for example, spending something like $90 million dollars on an unnecessary new pedestrian bridge, an overhyped dam, and a recreational “lake.”
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The water, by the way, is of very questionable quality — there are a lot of toxic chemicals in the river. But, again, Bynum doesn’t care about our health.
Editor’s note: Money spent on the pedestrian bridge, the Zink Lake Dam and other water features are being funded by a voter-approved sales tax provision; some private donations are helping fund the bridge.
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