Love Letters/Hate Mail

Alternative Energy

Tulsa's petroleum industry has long provided the backbone of commerce. For decades, Tulsa was known as the Oil Capital of the World. Companies including Citgo, Amoco, Sinclair, and Amerada Hess were once headquartered here.

Since then, Tulsa has struggled to create a new identity, but can become the Alternative Energy Capital of the United States. There are many benefits to using alternative energies, and because Tulsa was built on the energy industry, it is a natural fit. I want my town -- Tulsa -- to be the start of a huge alternative energy industry and headquarters for alternative energy companies to reduce our reliance on foreign oil. With fuel costs on the rise, it is important to act.

Tulsa is identifying areas where we can become more efficient and decrease petroleum usage long term. I will work to save taxpayer's money through the use of alternative energy and related systems.

Recently, Tulsa developed a new comprehensive plan, PLANiTULSA, commissioned an efficiency report from KPMG, surveyed Tulsa citizens about city government and programs, and is now completing a comprehensive water assessment. These studies contain recommendations on the best use of limited resources. The City is also developing its first Sustainability Plan, which will provide a blueprint to maximize assets, reduce costs and increase value for taxpayers.

My administration is advocating for the switch to Compressed Natural Gas as a primary fuel for our vehicle fleet, including CNG cars and trucks. Tulsa plans to open a public-use CNG station fall 2011.

In early 2010, Tulsa's Office of Sustainability was created; Brett Fidler was named Director. Brett previously served as Sustainability Advisor for Mayor Taylor. His work resulted in Tulsa receiving a $3.8 million U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Block Grant. Since then, Fidler has administered that grant and provided oversight for its programs.

The most recent grant project is the Sustainability Plan Development, which is crucial to the City's sustainability and efficiency efforts. URS Corporation was among 12 companies which submitted proposals to develop the Plan and was selected by city officials. URS will work with City of Tulsa staff and others to develop an overarching document when making decisions and setting policy. The Sustainability Plan will complement PLANiTULSA, integrating its goals and objectives.

The City continues to work in partnership with local companies and educational institutions to develop a new moniker for Tulsa: the Alternative Energy Capital of the United States. With that goal in mind, Tulsa is well along the road to becoming more sustainable, an important designation for the present and for future generations.

- Dewey F. Bartlett Jr.

Pull the Plug

(In response to "Should Anthony Weiner Resign?" in the June 16-22 issue of Urban Tulsa Weekly)

What a pathetic string of excuses Rall offers as to why Weiner shouldn't have to resign (maybe his wife is evil, he lied...but not for long). And goodness sake, he "fessed up" -- when it was apparent the lies wouldn't hold up and he would only look more pathetic. And is Weiner's logic even that of a sane person (my wife is evil, good excuse to send crotch shots to my address book)?

Crooked politicians should be held to a higher standard than most because of the powerful positions they hold. If they do reprehensible things, it makes them far more susceptible to blackmail by criminals or terrorists who could do great harm to "we the people".

Rall offers a bizarre apples-oranges comparison, comparing Weiner's misdeeds to Bush-Cheney's alleged lies. At least Bush-Cheney sought a formal declaration of war from Congress. Prior to the military actions in Libya, Obama failed to do even that. So, which "warmongering mass murderer" is Rall referring to? Bush or Obama?

Rall gets it a little right when he implies Weiner shouldn't be impeached just because he's an unfaithful, incompetent, self-absorbed little pervert (we expect that from politicians). As a holder of public office, when he lied Weiner lied to "we the people". He is an excessive security risk. It is for these reasons -- and no other -- that he should be removed from office.

--Todd Kreigh

Paraphrase

(In response to "Squaring Off" in the June 23-39 issue of Urban Tulsa Weekly)

So, in other words, Americans' basements are going to be emptied out on October 6, as their usual occupants spend their part-time Whole Food clerk salaries to schlep to Washington to protest with the essential message that they want the government to take stuff away from those working on that October day to give to those at the protest on the 6th.

Jeez, how many words did it take to clarify that?

-- Michael Wayne