The following questions were submitted to Mayor Bill LaFortune, Republican candidate for mayor, by Tulsans Defending Democracy. LaFortune has yet to respond. The questions were provided to LaFortune's campaign on February 20. His campaign referred TDD to City of Tulsa communications liaison Kim McLeod.
Note: Several hours after this was posted on March 1, another of LaFortune's City Hall assistants contacted TDD to say that LaFortune now wanted to respond to the questions and planned to submit answers later today.
1. If re-elected would you support a change in Tulsa's form of government?
Specifically, what is your current position regarding the recent proposal regarding "at-large" councilors?
2. When Chip McElroy announced the formation of Tulsans for Better Government to promote the initiative petition to change the City Charter by adding 3 at-large councilors and reducing the number of district-elected councilors from 9 to 6 he was quoted in the Tulsa World on October 21, 2005 as follows:
McElroy said there is "a sentiment of people who strongly support Mayor Bill LaFortune and have had great disappointment with the City Council's discharge of duties.". . . "[I]t [the charter change] has the support of the mayor."
Was this statement true at that time? If your answer is NO, what was inaccurate about the statement?
3. Please describe any communications you had and with whom regarding the proposed at-large charter change prior to the announcement of the formation of Tulsans for Better Government by Mr. McElroy in October of 2005.
Please provide any records in your possession and/or under your control of such conversations and/or communications, including memos, letters, emails, minutes, notes, recordings, calendars or other records. If necessary, please consider this a request under the Open Records Act.
4. In the Tulsa World on October 27, 2005 you are quoted as follows:
"LaFortune said he remained very protective of district representation and that it is very important to continue that. But I also firmly believe that at-large representation will enhance the council's ability to do business and help the city grow," he said. At-large representation will bring a broader perspective to city issues as opposed to just district viewpoints, he said."
"If anyone says at-large members dilute district representation, I disagree because it actually gives the six individual districts a greater voting power by giving them a broader constituency with a more powerful voice," he said.
Was this quotation accurate? If your answer is NO, what was inaccurate about the quotation?
5. In a Readers Forum column you authored in the Tulsa World on December 11, 2005 you stated with regard to the at-large petition drive:
"While I agree that reviewing our form of government from time to time is appropriate, I was concerned that the initiative petition process might not be the best approach. Without judging the merits of the proposal by Tulsans for Better Government, it seemed that a process that involved all Tulsans might find a solution that can be embraced by everyone."
Are you prepared to say the initiative petition process proposal by Tulsans for Better Government was NOT a good way to change the city charter?
6. Do you think the proposal by Tulsans for Better Government was divisive?
7. If re-elected, what will you do to prevent or stop bad or divisive proposals?