Stan Geiger

Tulsa "Nay-sayers" Still in the Majority

The local Fox News did one of its phone polls the other night. Tulsans were asked if they were willing to pay higher city utility bills in exchange for better streets. At the end of the newscast, 93 percent of respondents had said no.

This poll, of course, was not scientific. But the results certainly act as an indicator of the public mood.

A few months back, the river tax was voted down. No new taxes for nonsense was the message sent. A few weeks ago, the TCC tax was voted down. Again, no new taxes for nonsense was the message sent.

Now comes the recent Fox poll, which shows most people are unwilling to pay higher taxes, period. Not even for a priority item like fixing the streets are people willing to cough up more money. That's not to say people don't want the streets fixed. Everybody wants the streets fixed. Tulsans are just tired of being humped by their "leaders."

Local folks are speaking to the politicians in no uncertain terms: You have enough money to fix the streets, just do the freakin' job.

It seems we have an excellent opportunity to see just how well this democratic-republic stuff works. Will the politicians acquiesce to the obvious desires of the public or will they continue to push an overreaching street plan that includes a massive $2 billion tax increase down our throats?

Time will tell.

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