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Josh Turley for Tulsa County Commissioner, District 2

The only contested Tulsa County office on the ballot is a rematch for Tulsa County Commissioner, District 2. Republican Josh Turley seeks to defeat 12-year incumbent Democrat Commissioner Karen Keith. Dr. Turley, whose doctorate is in organizational leadership, had a distinguished 24-year career at the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office,...

Posted by Michael Bates on October 30, 2020 12:05 AM

Ken Yazel endorses Donald Newberry for Court Clerk, Josh Turley for County Commissioner

Tulsa County Assessor Ken Yazel has, in his personal capacity, endorsed Donald Newberry for Tulsa County Court Clerk and Josh Turley for Tulsa County Commissioner District 2. The Court Clerk manages court records and processes marriage licenses. Sally Howe Smith, the longtime incumbent, is not seeking re-election. Yazel is recommending...

Posted by Michael Bates on June 23, 2016 5:40 PM

Petition for jail tax points to opposition of commission majority

Consider these options for putting a county-wide tax proposition on the ballot this fall: 1. Convince at least two of the three county commissioners to support the idea. 2. Collect 18,000 petition signatures in six weeks, early enough to make the November ballot. If you could do either, which would...

Posted by Michael Bates on August 3, 2013 10:48 PM

Vision2: Commissioners say too soon to make plans for 2017

I've been negligent. I did tweet about this brilliant video by Steven Roemerman, but had yet to post it here. Steven tried to call all three Tulsa County commissioners to invite them to speak to a neighborhood meeting on January 2, 2017, the day after the Vision2 tax will go...

Posted by Michael Bates on October 29, 2012 12:09 AM

BOHICA: Chamber & County start agitating for another tax hike, regional unification

The TEA Party folks say they're Taxed Enough Already, but several of them who might have run against a Democrat Tulsa County Commissioner (with plans to raise our county sales taxes once again) opted instead to run against Republican legislative incumbents who are working to reduce our state income tax...

Posted by Michael Bates on April 15, 2012 11:56 PM

Liz Wright on the radio

Pat Campbell interviewed not-ousted Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission (TMAPC) member Elizabeth Wright on 1170 KFAQ Wednesday morning. It was an informative interview -- well done to both Pat and Liz. You can listen to the interview on the station's podcast: TMAPC's Elizabeth Wright interviewed by Pat Campbell, December 2,...

Posted by Michael Bates on December 3, 2009 1:12 AM

Karen Keith ouster of Liz Wright fails

County Commissioner Karen Keith's attempt to oust Elizabeth Wright from the Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission (TMAPC) failed for lack of a second at this morning's Tulsa County Commission meeting. Barring another ouster attempt, Wright will continue to serve on the TMAPC until her term expires on January 18, 2011....

Posted by Michael Bates on November 30, 2009 10:49 AM

Karen Keith keeping Elizabeth Wright TMAPC accusations under wraps

Tulsa County Commissioner Karen Keith has yet to supply Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission (TMAPC) member Elizabeth Wright with a list of specific allegations justifying Keith's call to remove Wright from the TMAPC over a year before her three-year term is due to end, according to an email from Wright...

Posted by Michael Bates on November 29, 2009 11:55 AM

Vote against removing Liz Wright: An open letter to John Smaligo and Fred Perry

I can't attend Monday morning's Tulsa County Commission meeting, so I sent the following letter to County Commissioners John Smaligo and Fred Perry urging them to vote against removing Liz Wright from the TMAPC. (I didn't figure there was any point in sending it to Commissioner Karen Keith, the lead...

Posted by Michael Bates on November 22, 2009 11:56 PM

Blast from the past: A truly rude TMAPC commissioner

In February 2004, leaders of neighborhood associations and homeowners' associations showed up by the dozens for a 1:30 p.m. hearing before the Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission (TMAPC) on zoning protest petitions. Many of those present had to make special arrangements to be at a City Hall meeting in the...

Posted by Michael Bates on November 22, 2009 1:11 AM

Karen Keith's <em>ex post facto</em> crusade for unfair zoning

Tulsa County Commissioner Karen Keith's bizarre and unprecedented campaign to remove Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission member Elizabeth Wright (for bogus reasons, a year before her term expires) reaches its climax on Monday, November 23, 2009, at 9:30 a.m., at a public hearing to be held as part of the...

Posted by Michael Bates on November 20, 2009 12:20 AM

Karen Keith trying to bully neighborhood leader off planning commission

UPDATE 11:40 a.m. 2009/11/02: Liz Wright called earlier this morning to tell me that the County Commission voted to approve the November 23 public hearing. Karen Keith based her call for a hearing on the need for geographical balance and her desire to make her own appointment, neither of which...

Posted by Michael Bates on November 2, 2009 12:07 AM

A response to Karen Keith

The Karen Keith campaign submitted a lengthy rebuttal in UTW to my column endorsing Sally Bell for Tulsa County District 2 Commissioner. Here's my reply: (1) Karen Keith doesn't seem to get the difference between one's philosophy of government and one's conduct as an elected official. I wrote: "Although Randi...

Posted by Michael Bates on November 1, 2008 8:39 AM

Rumble in Red Fork: Sally Bell v. Karen Keith

Steve Roemerman has a detailed report from Tuesday night's debate between Tulsa County Commission District 2 candidates Sally Bell (R) and Karen Keith (D). Steve reports that Keith claimed the sad state of Tulsa streets was because of "failed tax initiatives." I challenge Karen Keith to name one street-related tax...

Posted by Michael Bates on October 22, 2008 10:47 PM

Tulsa County Commission District 2 debate

Monday evening I attended a debate at All Souls Unitarian Church, hosted by the League of Women Voters. I suspect most of the people in the room were supporters either of the Republican nominee, Sally Bell, or the Democratic nominee, Karen Keith. Although I had expected the venue to be...

Posted by Michael Bates on October 21, 2008 12:06 AM

Sally Bell vs. Karen Keith debate on KRMG

The downtown Tulsa Kiwanis Club is hosting a debate between the candidates for District 2 Tulsa County Commissioner today beginning at 12:15. Republican Sally Bell will face Democrat Karen Keith. KRMG's Joe Kelley will moderate the debate, and it will be cybercast live online at krmg.com. It will also be...

Posted by Michael Bates on October 13, 2008 6:12 PM