Oklahoma City, In the Press

[ljbab728]

I agree it was very nice, Casey. I do wonder, however, why the national media insists in designating the political party of our mayor when it is not a partisan position.

[okcpulse]

That pisses me off, as it is against our city charter. Great mayor, but he dishonors the city charter.

[Larry OKC]

He has done things that I certainly don't agree with, but not sure how he (Cornett) is dishonoring the city charter in this instance. They are correct, he IS a Republican (but not the Republican mayor, just the mayor that happens to be a Republican). His party affiliation isn't exactly a secret either (he was scheduled to speak at the Republican convention but got bumped). What is he supposed to do when it comes up, embarrass the host of the program and correct them every time?

[OSUMom]

Especially since he seemed to almost be embarrassed to have to say that we are doing pretty good economically right now. The lady didn't catch that at the beginning and still asked him about if he saw any signs of recovery. I bet he was thinking to himself "I guess she didn't listen to me...."

[MikeOKC]

He presents himself very well and did again on NewsHour. Thanks for posting, Casey. You should be proud.

[windowphobe]

It is an article of faith among our cultural arbiters that mayors of great American cities have a political affiliation, and that affiliation is Democratic, except in the case of New York, where it's "indistinguishable from Democratic"; a Republican mayor in a top-30 (okay, top-31) city is newsworthy in the man-bites-dog sense.

[okcpulse]

He has done things that I certainly don't agree with, but not sure how he (Cornett) is dishonoring the city charter in this instance. They are correct, he IS a Republican (but not the Republican mayor, just the mayor that happens to be a Republican). His party affiliation isn't exactly a secret either (he was scheduled to speak at the Republican convention but got bumped). What is he supposed to do when it comes up, embarrass the host of the program and correct them every time?

A mayor in Oklahoma City cannot campaign or serve under a partisan label. It is a nonpartisan seat. He can be registered as a Republican, but every national publication and media outlet has him SERVING as a Republican mayor in what they think is a partisan office.

He is doing great things for the city. He is one of the best mayors in our city's history. But the nonpartisan office of mayor is something I always admired and is now lost in our history. Too bad no one else can see it that way thanks to the partisan v-chip shoved in everyone's heads.

Nonetheless, awesome interview and speaks volumes for our city's image. I am glad to have Mick serving another term.

[CaseyCornett]

From Dad's Facebook account: "Mayor Cornett appeared on Fox Business News yesterday to discuss the municipal bond market and how Oklahoma City has become a 'model for fiscal discipline.'" http://youtu.be/ZOmAvKjOjXM

[MikeOKC]

Thanks for posting this latest video, Casey. I'll say it again - you should be proud.

[Doug Loudenback]

Yet another great interview. I attempted to embed the root YouTube video here but found that restrictions had been placed which prevented that. So, I copied it and posted it to my own YouTube account ... for as long as it is not deleted by the YouTube police. Citizens should be able to see it if they want, so here you are, until I am arrested. The quality is better when viewing from the original link.



I think that the blond reporter gave the mayor a wink at the end ...

[Larry OKC]

I agree, overall a great interview but there is still a slight mis-perception that keeps getting put out there. MAPS style projects are PRIMARILY pay-as-you-go. Millions ARE spent before it is earned (borrowed to be paid back with interest). Millions more collect interest (but is mitigated by the interest paid on the borrowed money, so could be a wash, especially when the inevitable cost over runs are factored in).

The impression that OKC pays for everything with cash, is not exactly the case either. Case in point MAPS for Kids (mentioned in the interview) was a combination of sales tax and 2 school bond issues ($520M/$180M/$248.3M respectively). Also ignores the the most recent 2007 General Obligation bond paying for $835M more capital improvement projects (as the Mayor mentioned, Oklahoma law says cities are barred from using for operations/personnel). There is $58M more being borrowed with the 2007 GO than what we are expecting from MAPS 3....would love to get away completely from using bonds. Pay as you go is a much better concept.

[shane453]

^^ Agreed Larry- our city does not pay for everything with cash, but it would be impossible to do all the capital projects we need plus the things that we want for QoL without bonds. We should be really proud of OKC- paying for capital projects like all of MAPS, half of MAPS for Kids, and all of MAPS 3, without borrowing money, is impressive and NOT normal. I think MAPS combined with our city's handling of bonds is an excellent representation of fiscally responsible and conservative government that uses, but does not overuse, debt financing. That's why OKC has had the highest-rated municipal bonds for so long.

[Larry OKC]

Not disagreeing with you Shane, but if not mistaken it is more a function of state law (think the Mayor even mentioned it in the above interview) than the nobleness of City leadership being "fiscally responsible". Have to wonder if the state restrictions weren't in place, that we would be in the same situation as many other cities around the country right now.

Just as I have to chuckle in amazement when some politico (Repub or Dem) at the state level states they are going to do what they can to make sure we have a balanced budget. State law (IIRC it is in the State Constitution) requires a balanced State budget. Thanks for doing what is mandated by law!

[shane453]

State level policy does not fully explain OKC's success as evidenced by Tulsa budget problems

[Larry OKC]

Shane, feel free to respond in a PM if you want (so we don't hijack the thread), but what are Tulsa's budget problems?

[betts]

I posted this elsewhere, but it really belongs here too. Yesterday afternoon I went with my daughters to a movie in Chicago. Prior to the movie, there was about a five minute NBA ad for the All Star game that prominently featured the Thunder and Kevin Durant. It showed highlights from various game, and included shots of the Thunder playing in the OKC arena. I would assume it's a trailer at many movie theatres around the country, so wondered if anyone in OKC had seen it.

[dmoor82]

OKC industrial vacancy rate decreases to under 8%! http://www.costar.com/News/Article/M...126568?src=rss

[EdwardEll]

The most recent outrage in OKC is:
Attorney David Ogle, under felony bribery charges continues to "practice law"
and it shows that the bar association should suspend lawyers under felony charges.
OSCN.Net shows that his preliminary hearing is March 11 2011 on the felony bribery of a Police officer in a legal testimony in court.

[CaseyCornett]

From Facebook account (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mick-Cornett/118846680688)

Mayor Cornett to appear on CSPAN tomorrow (Thursday, Feb. 24) at 7:45 a.m. to discuss federal budget cuts, unemployment and other issues.

[CaseyCornett]

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/Mayorsan

(CSPAN) - "Mayor Mick Cornett and Mayor Anthony Foxx (Charlotte) talked about the impact of the economic downturn on their respective cities, Oklahoma City and Charlotte, North Carolina. Topics included the budget shortfalls their cities face and what is needed to increase employment in American cities."

The video is 45 minutes long, but if you follow the scrolling transcript marks, you can check out certain topics.

Let the arguments begin.

[stlokc]

Interesting column in NY Times tonight: "From Oklahoma to Tobruk" by Roger Cohen. I can't figure out how to paste the link because I'm on my I-phone, but if you have the NYT app, it's one of the "most e-mailed." Basically this columnist was in an OKC mosque alongside Libyan exiles when the local FBI director was reassuring the congregation following the recent shariah law kerfuffle. I winced when Cohen brought up the law, but in the end it did highlight the diversity of OKC, and spotlighted a young local Palestinian lawyer. I would be willing to bet the average national reader of the Times was surprised to learn there is a mosque-ful of Libyans in OKC.

[Snowman]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/25/op...edcohen25.html

[stlokc]

Thanks Snowman!

[Doug Loudenback]

This video may be the mayor's greatest if not the most visible or pretty of his prime time videos. So often in national videos he has been called (without contradiction by him) the "republican mayor of Oklahoma City." This circumstance was different ... and he stood shoulder by shoulder with all non-partisan mayors in a February 28 press conference of the US Conference of Mayors which opposed the House of Representative's decision to shelve the Community Development Block Grants (CDGB) and in its decision to carry that issue to the US Senate. I'm trying to capture the relevant parts and will report back shortly. But, short story ... the mayor wasn't being a republican partisan, the group wasn't being partisan, it was presenting a bi-partisan position by mayors about a program which is of central importance to USA cities. Given the tea party disposition of many in the republican party these days, it was not without some risk that he did that. Particularly since we have tea-partiers running for and who may be elected for city council TOMORROW.

Hats off, Mayor. You represented me, and our city, very well.

[okclee]

No you are not dreaming,,,,Okc featured on SmartGrowthAmerican.org, definitely not something you see everyday.

Here is more good press for Okc and Mayor Mick.

http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/20...th-principles/

Oklahoma City attracts businesses, gets healthy with smart growth principles
Posted on March 23, 2011 by Abigail Gardner

Oklahoma City Mayor Mark Cornett (R) is making his city more attractive to businesses, tackling a public health crisis and he’s using smart growth strategies to get it done. Cornett gained notoriety for tackling Oklahoma City’s obesity epidemic by changing the landscape of the city. After setting a goal in 2008 for the city to lose a million pounds, he passed a massive $777 million “Metropolitan Area Project” in 2009 that made jogging and biking trails, sidewalks and neighborhood parks a priority in downtown development....................................... ..........read more....................http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/20...th-principles/

Isn't Okc and Smart Growth an oxymoron? I know it once was, but maybe times are changing?