Stan Geiger

What of Overtime?

A while back, maybe a year ago, the local TV news media reported on millions a year in overtime pay for Tulsa city employees. The reports said every city department was paying out overtime.

KOTV actually put a councilor's comment in its promos for a time. The councilor expressed shock at hearing of the exorbitant overtime pay, and said he should take the matter up with the full Council.

I've heard nothing about it since. Even amid the ongoing "budget crisis," I've heard nothing more about it.

Ain't that the way it typically goes? I mean whenever the local media stumbles across a story that actually contains red meat, it walks away. But, oh, don't you dare let a giraffe die! Reporters will be over that like racing stripes on your undies.

The only thing I've heard about overtime recently came from the mayor-cop negotiations. Cops offered to trade overtime pay for comp time.

As I recall from past reports, the top overtime receiver on the list was a cop stationed at the airport. The cop reportedly collected over $70,000 in overtime pay in a single year. I'm thinkin' putting in that amount of overtime was physically impossible, which takes one down the fraud road. But even if the overtime was for real, how much comp time could a cop get in exchange for it? Maybe a year and a half off with pay at straight time?

Do we want our tax dollars going to pay some guy to sit on a couch and drink beer for a year and a half?

It's snowing today. In honor of that, let's look at snow removal.

All Tulsans remember the Christmas Eve blizzard. Crews were sent out to clear the streets on Christmas Day. I jotted down some notes on the matter taken from reports of that event.

The reports said the city put out 90 pieces of equipment (32 plows and 58 spreaders), and employed 146 people to operate said equipment. So far so good. But the reports went further, stating the city had budgeted $65,000 for overtime pay for the year but blew right past that number in the first storm, paying out $97,000 on Christmas.

Let's do a little math.

If you divide $97,000 by 146, you come up with $664 per head on average. Does that not sound like a lot of money to pay someone for working a shift doing something a trained chimp could do? I mean we're talking about driving a truck down a street, folks.

Breaking things down to an hourly wage, an 8-hour shift paid $83 an hour. A 10-hour shift paid over $66 an hour. Even talking 12-hour shifts, the hourly wage comes to over $55 an hour.

Sure, it was Christmas. Bummer. But a lot of people have to work on Christmas. Take a hotel, for example. A hotel can't throw its guests out on the street just because it's Christmas. It has to stay open. And if it's open, people have to be there to clean rooms, work the desk, cook food and provide security. I defy you to find me a single hotel employee that got paid $664 for working on Christmas Day.

If you want to know why the city can't make ends meet, you don't have to look too hard.

Global Warming Continues

News reports are referring to an "epic snow storm" in Washington, D.C. The city has been hit with a couple of feet of snow. They say the storm ranks as one of the top five DC snow storms in the city's history.

As that goes on, the president cracks wise on TV. It's easy to laugh about such a storm when one gets special treatment, of course. I'm sure the tens of thousands that have lost power and been immobilized find no humor in the event.

I guess we can take solace in the fact that Obama didn't go on TV claiming he inherited the storm from George Bush.

It's been a bad winter all over. The northeast has been pounded. The midwest has been pounded. California is up to its butt in rain. Florida oranges have been frozen.

Here in Tulsa, people are about to start pulling their hair out.

Temperatures were below normal all through the month of December. Meteorologists, after accumulating the numbers, say this past December was one of the coldest on record hereabouts. And there was that Christmas Eve blizzard to boot.

January offered no relief. We have experienced arctic temperatures, and we recently had another major ice/snow event.

Now, a week deep into February, as much as 8 inches of snow is possible for Monday. And the forecasters see no relief in sight for at least the next two weeks.

The U.S. isn't alone in its woes. National news reports say China has been hit with a nasty winter. I saw a satellite photo on the news in which the entirety of the British Isles were white.

If the winter weather this far south is this bad, what do you think it is like at the North Pole? Is anyone still worried about those poor polar bears?

And God said to the people, "Global warming this."

Hee, hee.

Tulsa's "Leaders": Masters of Management

There has been much news coming from the Borg cube of late. The latest reports say councilors got together for a meeting and were shocked to learn the city has only $1 in reserve funds. The councilors were figuring on more like $20 million.

We have a mayor's office (which, by the way, is running over budget), complete with a head honcho plus a staff of helpers. We have 9 city councilors. We have department heads and administrators galore. Yet $19 million disappeared from the bank account and nobody even noticed.

Over the past couple of weeks, I've heard a number of suggestions concerning "revenue enhancement." It has been suggested that we install an entertainment tax. It has been suggested that we stick yet another fee on city utility bills. It has been suggested that we start sending out $500 bills anytime a firetruck leaves a station. It has been suggested that we raid the third-penny sales tax revenue---passed by voters to fund capital projects---and use the money for operations.

Given that our city "leaders" can't seem to even read a bank statement, do you really want to give them more money with which to play?

Obama's Yawner

I tried to watch the Obama Show the other night. Seriously, I tried. But I'm afraid I dosed off before the end came. Maybe I've sat through too many platitude fests. They offer nothing to me anymore.

The media, and much of the public, seem to hold Obama up as some kind of intellectual giant and great speech maker. I find him neither. I find him boring.

Obama has this thing he does that really annoys me. He makes a statement then stands with his nose in the air as he receives his applause. That's body language. That's body language that says this: I'm better than you. I'm the great one, with wisdom unfathomable to the mere mortal. Do as I say without question.

I hate that.

Part of the show, of course, had to do with the two clapping monkeys seated behind the prez. I found them somewhat annoying as well. They smiled, applauded, got up and sat down, all the while, no doubt, thinking only of the taxpayer-provided after-party, complete with French champagne and caviar.

Obama made one comment, before my nap, that caught my attention. He said it was time for colleges and universities to "get serious" about making higher education more affordable. That brief statement---though 20 years overdue---was appreciated.

The problem is, the president is calling for the hogs to withdraw from the feeding trough voluntarily. And that ain't gonna happen.

Professors, administrators and coaches aren't going to give up fat salaries and lavish benefits just because somebody shoots some lip; they aren't going to give up the good life just to bring tuition into line with reason. They will have to be forced.

A Staggering Fact

So I was doing a little channel surfing and ran across the News Hour on public television. The Shields and Brooks segment came on, and Shields threw out an interesting fact. He said there are only two countries on this planet with budgets that exceed our deficit.

There are only two nations---Great Britain and Japan---that have governments that spend as much in twelve months as the U.S. federal government borrows in twelve months.

Nations that most in this country consider socialist, like Canada, France and Germany, don't spend as much in a year as we borrow in a year. Nations that have four times the population we have, like China and India, don't spend as much in a year as we borrow in a year.

If that don't grab ya by the nose, ain't nothin' gonna git 'er done.

Innovation for the Sake of Innovation

Now comes Toyota.

The world's largest automaker has recalled millions of cars and shut down sales and production of millions more. The reason is sticking accelerators that have reportedly caused thousands of accidents and at least 20 deaths.

I guess the executives finally decided to let go of that lame-ass excuse about pedals getting stuck in floor mats and admit to a more serious problem.

Going back to the dawn of automobile time, acceleration of a car was a mechanical function. Push the pedal to manipulate the carb. But then some genius decided a computer could handle the job better.

Not long ago, I watched an episode of KOTV's noon show. A mechanic was on the show, taking questions from callers. A person called in about a car that just up and died. As I recall, the auto in question was a 2001 Chevy SUV. The caller suspected a bad fuel pump.

For many decades, a fuel pump was a mechanical device located on the engine block. It was a cheap part, and any moron with a wrench and 30 minutes to kill could replace one. I know. I've replaced one or two myself over the years. But it seems things have changed.

The mechanic explained the fuel pump on the auto in question is some kind of gadget located inside the freakin' gas tank. He said replacing one is "labor-intensive." Translation: Replacing a fuel pump these days isn't a job for a shade-tree mechanic, and it will cost you several hundred bucks to get it done.

Note to auto engineers: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

What Has PSO Done?

On the eve of what sounds like a major winter event in Tulsa, I think now would be a good time for the local media to ask executives at PSO just what they have done since December 2007.

In December 2007, all Tulsans recall, the ice storm from hell hit town. There was a power outage of catastrophic proportions. Power to my mom's house was out for 9 freakin' days.

I was fortunate; my residence never lost power. I live in an apartment complex on South Mingo Road. I have to figure the main feeder lines for my place run down Mingo. There are no trees, so the lines stayed up. There are no overhead lines at all in my complex; everything is underground. I reckon those were the reasons I got so lucky.

From what I've seen and heard over the past couple of years, PSO has done little or nothing to avoid another devastating power outage due to ice.

How much ice Tulsa will get remains to be seen. PSO execs---high-paid members of the "best and brightest" class---had better be praying the ice band stays south of here.

El Crappo

I don't usually watch local midday news shows. I did today, however. I watched the KOTV midday show. I was, quite frankly, appalled by what I saw.

A lady was scheduled to appear on the show, a lady from a restaurant known as 'El Guapo's' located in downtown Tulsa. She was to do a cooking segment. When the station cut to her segment, she began her gig. She was immediately cut off because the station wanted to air our beloved mayor's comments live.

I watched the mayor's segment. I watched him say nothing new to a bunch of unionized city employees gathered together so they could voice their disapproval. Oh, joy. What a great piece of "breaking news" coverage.

In the course of covering the mayor's fabulous comments live, the station pissed all over a woman that had busted her hump to be on the show. The anchor involved apologized and said, "We'll have to have you back."

If I were her, I wouldn't even think about it.

This woman prepped; this woman stressed; this woman drug herself and her stuff to the studio. Then the station pissed all over her. And all that happened for no particularly good reason.

I endured the same, once upon a time. I caught a dose of the dumbass and put my name on the ballot for mayor in '94 as an Independent candidate. I had no grandiose aspirations of actually winning; I just wanted a platform from which I could make a few points.

KTUL was the only station that gave me even the slightest bit of respect. If not for that, I would have been more upset over what that station did to me one day.

A reporter from KTUL called me up. He wanted to do a story on me, along with some video from supporters and such. My Aunt Flo and Uncle John had a nice, average, home. My mom had an old working friend from the old days that had started his own cabinet-making business. I figured it would be nice to give average folks some airtime. I went to these people and asked them to allow cameras into their respective domains on my behalf. They acquiesced.

The big morning rolled around, and, oh gee, it snowed. It didn't snow much. It barely snowed at all. But the reporter assigned to follow me around for a couple of hours never showed up. The reporter assigned to do my story was hurriedly reassigned to cover the weather "calamity."

There I was, in my fanciest suit, in the house of my aunt and uncle. My aunt and uncle went to an awful lot of trouble to lay out a spread of treats and coffee. A couple of friends even made the effort to be there in a show of friendly support. They all knew I had no chance of winning an election; the effort they put forth was for me. But no reporter. And no phone call from a reporter to tell me there would be no reporter. We all sat and stared at each other, but no reporter ever showed. I was so embarrassed, I was so ashamed of myself, I could have crawled under the dining room table.

The next stop was to be the small business. Nobody showed up there---not even me. I sent the owner a letter later in an attempt to explain.

The day before Election Day, I was scheduled to appear at one of those "what's-in-it-for-me" forums. I blew it off. I recall being somewhat chastised by one of KTUL's anchors for not showing up. I guess it was okay for them to not show up, but for me to call it a day a day early was some kind of travesty.

For the past several years, KOTV has been my station of choice when it came to local news coverage. But things have changed of late. I don't like the changes. If not for Lori Fullbright, I wouldn't watch the station at all. The station is beginning to suck, and suck hard.

I'm Enjoying the Debate

Tulsa's current budget "crisis" is getting a lot of public attention. I'm enjoying the process.

I'm enjoying seeing public unions go after each other like dogs fighting over a bone. Union brotherhood! We're all in it together! That, of course, unless one group of union employees is deemed more important than the other, and layoffs and pay cuts enter the picture.

Last I heard, a few years ago, something on the order of 9 percent of Oklahoma's overall workforce is comprised of union employees. Yet, a news report I saw this afternoon said 80 percent of city employees---employees paid with tax money---are covered by unions. There's something wrong with those numbers.

I think part of what we are seeing at present is an attempt by city leaders to use this fiscal shortfall to engage public unions. I applaud the effort. It is long overdue.

For example, the cop union said it would be willing to give up $100 a month in extra pay for officers with bachelor's degrees. Okay. But why does that bonus money exist in the first place? Does having a bachelor's degree make a cop more valuable than a cop that doesn't have a bachelor's degree? I think not. And if not, why should the one with the degree make $1,200 more per year?

See, that's union nonsense.

Cops living outside of town and driving their cruisers home became an issue. The cops finally agreed to drop that benefit.

Why should a cop that lives, say, on Keystone Lake be allowed to burn city money driving back and forth to work---not to mention other personal endeavors.

In my days at Meadowbrook Country Club, back in the early '80s, my boss was given a brand new Ford pickup. He was to use it driving the course in the execution of his job, but he was also allowed to take it home with him. The club had its own gas pump, and the boss filled 'er up everyday before he left for home.

It was a year, maybe two, after he got the new truck that I took a look at the odometer. Boss man had racked up over 50,000 miles.

Work vehicles, provided by employers, are for work. I don't think cops---or any other government employees---should be allotted vehicles for personal use, period.

Cops have argued the personal use of police cruisers came in exchange for cash compensation. How much money do you spend on a car? How much on fuel, maintenance and upkeep, insurance and cleaning, not to mention early replacement cost if you overwork it? What's worth more, a $1,000 pay raise---gross of taxes---or a free car?

I'm also amused by the lack of discussion about the high-paid chair-jockeys. They seem content to stay out of the picture. I've heard nothing, for example, about the mayor taking a pay cut. I've heard nothing about his staff taking pay cuts. I've heard nothing about his staff being downsized.

At any rate, I'm enjoying the discourse. I think we should have this going on all the time. I mean why does it take a "crisis?"

The issue of 40 IT people making more than $75k per year---plus benefits---has been raised. Why wasn't that issue raised while this cohort was being accumulated? I mean if we don't need these people on the payroll now we didn't need them when they were hired.

The issue of the city paying school crossing guards has been raised. Why is the city covering payroll for Tulsa Public Schools? Why does it take a "crisis" for some politician to bring this fact to light?

Taxpayers---those that don't work for the government at least---should act like we have a budget "crisis" all the time.

Giraffegate

Two giraffes have recently died at the Tulsa Zoo. Okay, so that's a little odd. But is it an occurrence that demands the attention it is getting?

One deceased giraffe---the newly-purchased one---quite clearly broke its neck in transit. Judging from the video I saw, I'm surprised that poor thing lasted as long as it did. But there is no mystery hear. Crap happens sometimes.

The other deceased giraffe died, they say, from hypothermia during our recent cold snap. That has led to much attention from the local media, our City Council and even the federal government.

The quality of giraffe housing is being questioned.

Well, the giraffe barn has been around for 26 years. We've had some mighty cold days over that span of time. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure this is the first time a giraffe has frozen to death. On top of that, the male, housed in the same facility, is still alive and kicking.

I'd say the facility is just fine.

There also seems to be at least a subtle trace of questioning relative to the competence and dedication of zoo employees.

Maybe it wasn't just hypothermia. Maybe the female had some impossible-to-detect condition, say, a weak heart or something, that contributed to her demise.

I'd say the caregivers in question are just fine. I'm sure they did their best. Again, crap happens sometimes.

With all that is going on these days, one would think the local media outlets could find better uses for their resources.

With all that is going on these days, one would think city councilors could find better uses for their time and energies than worrying about dead giraffes. For example, something like that $10 million budget shortfall, turning highway lights off, mothballing the lawnmowers and the impending layoff of employees.

With all that is going on these days, the federal government expending even the slightest amount of resources investigating the death of a giraffe is silly beyond mention.

Let's move on, shall we?