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Tulsa Retail Market Study and Strategy

Bookmarked for further reading: The City of Tulsa commissioned Place Dynamics of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to do a study of Tulsa's retail health and to identify strategies for improvement. The 245-page Tulsa Retail Market Study and Strategy report is now online. From the city website: The City of Tulsa relies on...

Posted by Michael Bates on January 29, 2019 8:24 PM

Oklahoma State Question 800: Creating the Oklahoma <s>Slush</s> Vision Fund

Oklahoma State Question 800 would add a new section to Article 10 of the Oklahoma Constitution. It would siphon off part of the gross production tax into a fund that the State Treasurer could invest in private businesses. I'm voting NO, AGAINST SQ 800. Here is the new section that...

Posted by Michael Bates on October 30, 2018 3:52 PM

Cross-country cyclist falls in love with Tulsa

Originally posted on April 3, 2016. Bumped to the top for those who may have missed it during the election. We've been hearing lately that we need dams in our river to attract creative young people to Tulsa. Yeah, no, it doesn't make sense to me either, but given that...

Posted by Michael Bates on April 6, 2016 6:51 AM

Vision 2025's broken promise: Economic development

We were promised in 2003 that if we passed Vision 2025, our economy would grow so much that we'd have enough additional revenue to pave streets and hire more police officers and re-open our closed city pools. If Vision 2025 made our economy grow, why are we now being asked to increase our permanent operating sales tax rate by 17.25% (from 2% to 2.345%) to fund basic police and fire coverage and street maintenance? Why are we demolishing rec centers and pools?

Posted by Michael Bates on March 31, 2016 10:33 PM

Vision Tulsa: Northside payola projects

North Tulsa residents are among the most skeptical of visionary sales taxes. They know that they will bear a heavy share of the costs, but they are doubtful of seeing any benefits. They'll pay extra sales taxes on the basics of life -- food, clothing, electricity, natural gas --...

Posted by Michael Bates on March 29, 2016 8:27 PM

Vision2: Putting all our eggs in one basket

NOTE: I'll be talking about Vision2 in studio with Pat Campbell and company on 1170 KFAQ, starting at 7:05 a.m. -- Monday morning, October 29, 2012. On Saturday afternoon, I spoke at the invitation of the Tulsa Community Business Group, an organization that meets monthly to encourage the development of...

Posted by Michael Bates on October 28, 2012 10:26 PM

The Olympics: Worth it for the host city?

The Summer Olympics are over and host city London goes back to life as usual. What physical and emotional legacy will the 30th Olympiad leave behind? Photographer Joe Pack and filmmaker Gary Hustwit has been traveling to former Olympic host cities to explore that very question, in preparation for a...

Posted by Michael Bates on August 16, 2012 8:44 PM

Bakeries, coffee houses, and economic development

Julie R. Neidlinger has written a moving account of her final farewell to the Patisserie on Fourth, a bakery in downtown Bismarck, North Dakota, where she worked as a baker for a couple of years. The Patisserie on Fourth closed permanently on Tuesday. As she helped the owner clear out...

Posted by Michael Bates on January 25, 2012 11:44 PM

Quality Events Incentive Act? Vote no on SB 1284

Thanks to Ron Denton for the heads-up. The State House Appropriations and Budget Committee will vote tomorrow, April 8, 2010, on SB 1284, the Oklahoma Quality Events Incentive Act. The Tulsa Metro Chamber wants people to send emails to the committee members urging passage. (To read the legislation, go here,...

Posted by Michael Bates on April 7, 2010 9:47 PM

High and dry in rainy Portland

The theory, as I understand it, is that cities with some combination of great public amenities, natural beauty, and a vibrant cultural scene will attract the Creative Class. Bright young people now pick a place to live, whether or not they have a job waiting for them. The presence of...

Posted by Michael Bates on May 16, 2009 5:04 PM

Banking basics and missions

Tulsa Teachers Credit Union, one of the area's largest thrift institutions, has been running radio ads lately about their humble origins -- a cigar box in the desk drawer of a Central High School teacher, as teachers pooled funds to help one another meet their financial goals. In the US,...

Posted by Michael Bates on March 8, 2009 1:24 PM

Chamber audit results: "needs improvement"

City administration officials declined to accept the recommendation of the City Auditor's office to use a process to select an economic development contractor, rather than continuing to renew the Tulsa Metro Chamber (officially the Metropolitan Tulsa Chamber of Commerce -- MTCC) automatically each year. The auditor's recommendation was one of...

Posted by Michael Bates on August 26, 2008 7:18 PM