The DA and County Commissioner races

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This week's Urban Tulsa Weekly column covers the District Attorney's race between incumbent Tim Harris and challenger Brett Swab, as well as, in brief, the two Tulsa County Commission races. The column takes a critical look at the numbers Swab has been using in making his case against Harris's re-election. In the County Commission races I endorse former City Councilor Anna Falling in District 1 and State Rep. Fred Perry in District 3.

(UPDATE: In response to meeciteewurkor's question in the comments, District 2 Commissioner Randi Miller is not up for re-election until 2008. County Commissioners serve four-year terms. In every county, District 1 and 3 Commissioners are elected in the same year as state-wide offices; District 2 Commissioners are elected in presidential election years. In 2002, we had the unusual situation of electing all three Tulsa County Commissioners, because District 2 Commissioner John Selph resigned in March of that year. District 3 Commissioner Bob Dick was re-elected without opposition in 2002.)

Also, this week's issue has the big, big 2006 Absolute Best of Tulsa special section, split online into five categories: kids and family, local celebrities, mind and body, restaurants, and goods and services.

5 Comments

Paul Tay said:

Santa is rollin' TIM 4 DA sign all over town. He wuz doin' it way before your astute UTW analysis. He don't need no stats to pick the winners. Tim is doin' a great job keep a certain cretin from rollin' Captain Pecker on Tulsa streets and all over creation come, at least until July '07. Will Captain Pecker ever roll again? Perhaps, depends on how the stars line up.

As for the overall Tulsa crime problem, I had a bit of a chat yesterday with a couple of jolly Tulsa Police officers. I have always wanted to photograph a cop flipping the bird at Santa and approached them at the 71st/Riverside QT for the shot. After lots of cajoling, several cases of cheesecakes, and an offer to block out identities, they politely declined, AGAIN.

After the fun and games, we talked about the DA's race. Right away, I assumed they don't live in Tulsa. And, my assumption was confirmed. Wow. How DID I know that? In spite of FOP93 endorse of Swab, fully 75% of the rank-n-file don't live in Tulsa. Probably the only FOP93 dude who lives in Tulsa is that fatcat Filak dude. And, guess where he lives? Yep, you guess it. Tony Maple Ridge.

Saw him on Fox23 doing an interview half-naked after the last big storm, wading in a foot of water in front of his mansion. Shouldn't he be charged with outraging public decency and publically pelted with 14 million Daylight Donuts he won't be allowed to eat? Hey, Filak, GIT OFF YER FAT ASS PEDAL and quit doing TV interviews HALF-NAKED. Dat's soooooo WRONG.

Anyways, I digress. On the question of Tulsa residency, Jolly officer replied bad schools, high taxes, and CRIME. So, I am thinking, "High crimes and misdemeanors, eh? Ain't that suppposed to be like your JOB, instead of staking out Santa like a common gangster all over town?" But, I thought the better of the jovial situation and wanted to keep it that way for the time being.

Oops, I forgot to invite them to FOB Baghdad Beach X-Mas Party on 28 July at my home. It turns out Officer J.L. Jones, head of the Santa Task Force, has shipped out to the Iraqi Front as a Blackhawk stick jockey. Dat explains the dark sunglasses and trying to bust Santa for dancin' in da streets back in February.

So, in conjunction, with Santa's debate with Da Chief, we will have a jolly old time X-Mas Party for all the boys with orders for Fall '06. Trying not to break OPSec protocols, I get the feeling this tour of duty will be a mofo for some. One man will be having a new August baby, and he's shipping out for at least a year in September. OUCH.

So, bring your schwag to share with our guys. Junk like baby wipes for the boys to stay cool, clean, and collected during a hairy firefight. No pork products please. And, FOR GOODNESS SAKES, no shaving cream, hair spray, canned cheese whiz in pressurized canisters. They explode in unpressurized C-130's. It turns out our boys ain't exactly flyin' first class to the front.

For more schwag suggestions, Blue Star Moms have a handy list. I just like baby wipes, 'cause I'd use a whole lotta 'em, back in da day. Don't want yer trusty gunny to see yer sweat while pluggin' a bad guy in the noggin from a thousand meters.

Michael, is anyone challenging Randi Miller in district 2?

Jesse said:

Did Fred Perry move to Bixby? If so, wonder how that would change his opinion on the bridge?....if at all.

Jess, Fred Perry did not move to Bixby. He lives near 101st and Yale in Tulsa. -- Michael Bates

R. Sanders said:

Obviously you must just sit and get your facts and figures from somewhere where they can be open to interpretation or skewed. DA Harris has an 84% conviction rate because he does not file on cases he believes or assumes will not get above probation. You can believe all you read but I am here to tell you it's true, his ADA's are directed to reject filings even with great evidence presented. I know, I am an individual who works with the detectives/police to get evidence to present to an ADA. It amazes me weekly what can not get filed. So instead of getting your information from some spreadsheet, maybe you should get out on the streets and talked to various Tulsa County area police departments, talk to detectives. Also go talk to victims, families of victims, maybe then you'll see the truth. I've never considered myself political until I' have had to work first hand with the frustration of perpetrators not having charges filed, only to leave them open to perpetrate again, leaving the victims and families stunned with disbelief.

astronaut of innerspace said:

BatesLine! yu r slippin! This is the Astronaut of InnerSpace.
A disservice was done to Tim Harris in the UTW article by Mr. BatesLines. If Mr. BatesLine is FOR Mr. Harris, I couldn't tell.
Nowhere in the article was there mention of the often relyed on , researched, and mentioned, technical data of crime rate numbers as a proportional ratio of total numbers of teenagers ( or under 25's or sumthin) I don't need to know the exact thing but Mr, BatesLine had better.
Which is that crime is basically a percentage of population in a group. If pop is increasing, crime is increasing. Teenagers is the highest crime group I believe.
Through the 1990's, teenage pop was declining so the crime figures were hitting generational lows. About 2001, the decline bottomed and then started to increase. Crime has come up some, in tandem.
So the people in charge during the pop decline get to bask in the glory. And those with the hard luck of being in office during the upswing, get the heat.
The figures on a DA have to be adjusted for this. The key is, did someone knock any % points off the crime RATE.? Which is the % of the pop doing crime.
I am the Astronaut of InnerSpace

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This page contains a single entry by Michael Bates published on July 21, 2006 11:39 PM.

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