Tulsa Taps Bunney

The Tulsa Chigger is glad to hear the Mike Bunney wants come come back to his roots here in Tulsa.......

Only a scant 3 weeks ago, Mike Bunney retired (was retired?) from Boeing. The exact same man who led the national site selection for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The exact same company for the exact same purpose the uninformed voters of Tulsa passed the 4/10's of a cent sales tax that never went into effect, since Boeing passed us up for a more lucrative package in Washington state.

Bunney states, "I'm in this to give public service to the Tulsa community that gave me so much." As a 30-year veteran of the aerospace industry, perhaps Mike can breathe some new life into the already important aerospace industry here in T-Town. Make no mistake, Bunney may have an attitude of public service, but as Director of Economic Development, he will be paid his $125,000/year salary, which should help him cover his chamber dues, his policital donations, and his country club dues.

Perhaps he should also be given a car allowance so he can drive through the dilapidated streets of Tulsa and see the absolute glut of empty retail and commercial space available throughout the city. There's where the economic development need lies. Not in some new retail development, but energizing the inner city base. Maybe some tax credits or temporary abatements for businesses locating in the inner city for a period of time.

Here's my advice, take it or leave it. You want economic development in Tulsa? First address the public school situation with real school choice (not what TPS provides), then address the rampant crime problem (focus on drugs and gangs), then fix the streets. Then and only then will businesses see Tulsa as the place to be.