How Dewey Bartlett Balanced Tulsa's Budget without Raising Taxes
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GoogleWhen Mayor Dewey Bartlett took office on December 7, 2009, Tulsa, Oklahoma was in its worst budget crisis since the Great Depression.
"We would have probably had to file for bankruptcy," Bartlett tells Reason TV. "It certainly got us focused on how to run a government better."
With a $10 million budget shortfall and employee compensation spiraling out of control, thinkng about layoffs was just the beginning. Bartlett schooled himself about the budget and decided to focus "on things a government really should do and also make a decision on what a government really doesn't need to do." He reformed pay for police and firemen, sold unused vehicles and property, and privatized some city services, including the city's zoo.
"Many times, decisions are made to cut everybody's budget, and not specific portions of the budget that really aren't necessary," he says.
Reason TV talked with Bartlett in his office to talk about how to balance a city's budget without raising taxes.
About 6 minutes. Interview by Len Gilroy and Sharif Matar, who filmed, edited, and produced the video.
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Lies! Why is Reason posting lies? A budget cannot be balanced without MOAR revenue. It's never been done!
Bartlett schooled himself about the budget and decided to focus "on things a government really should do and also make a decision on what a government really doesn't need to do
Whooaa! That's some dangerous thinking there. This guy is some sort of anarchist extremist.
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Federal grants? Stimulus money? Onerous fees?
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Did he. . .cut spending? No, that's impossible.
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Anyone who fires cops is a good guy in my book.
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Cutting military expenditures would be even better, since they serve little purpose but to stir up our enemies.
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As I've pointed out before, bashing cops wins no converts to the libertarian cause. Perhaps we could rephrase your comment as "Anyone with the political courage to lay off cops is a good guy". Yes, cops are often used as willful bullysticks by government and some cop unions are downright shameful in their tactics but even in the most libertarian society imaginable cops will be needed. Bash the system, not the cops.
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Obviously the elderly in Tulsa work salt mines and the children eat cat food.
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The elderly were thrown off a cliff and buried in the salt mines. Get it right.
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By hitting women and minorities hardest?
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Dude is making pretty good sense man. Wow.
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The progressives in Tulsa must think he is pure evil.
