Hopefuls continue attack ads

By P.J. LASSEK World Staff Writer - 11/7/2009




Tulsa Elections: Read bios of candidates for mayor, City Council and city auditor and view a map of City Council districts.


With just days until Tuesday's general election, mayoral frontrunners Democrat Tom Adelson and Republican Dewey Bartlett Jr. continue to fire off new attack ads at one another, and independent Mark Perkins also has hit local television screens.

Throughout the mayor's race, the Tulsa World has periodically examined the truthfulness of the campaign ads put forth by candidates. The latest installment:

The ad: Bartlett's tax trouble.

Format: Television commercial.

Paid for by: Democrat Tom Adelson's campaign.

The message: The ad starts with footage of Dewey Bartlett at a forum saying: "You'll find my resume. It's not very flowery."

A voice-over then says, "And it's cause for concern."

As a magnifying glass hovers over a blurry graphic, highlighting claims about Bartlett's resume, the voice-over continues: "Court documents prove Dewey Bartlett ran his inherited family business into the ground, even in a good economy. Four times his businesses were suspended for nonpayment of taxes. The same Bartlett who voted repeatedly to raise your taxes often doesn't pay his own. If Dewey Bartlett runs Tulsa like he's run his own business, we'll be the next one asking for a bailout. We can't afford Dewey Bartlett."

Fact or Fiction: Bartlett is president of Keener Oil and Gas Co., which was founded by his father. He took management control of the company in 1987, according to court documents.

A 2003 court affidavit related to Bartlett's divorce states that it is "undisputed that, despite Dewey's best managerial efforts, there was no enhancement in the value of Dewey's inherited estate during the course of the marriage. In fact, the value of Dewey's inherited estate declined through depletion or depreciation."

Bartlett was married through the 1990s. He said that today his business is successful and debt-free.

Bartlett only inherited a portion of the business from his uncle and borrowed money to buy out the remaining owners, he said.

According to records from the Oklahoma Secretary of State's Office and the Oklahoma Tax Commission, one of his businesses, Busch, Bartlett, Judd Co., had its license suspended for nonpayment of franchise taxes in April 1981. Payment was made and the license was reinstated, but it was suspended again in January 1982 and never reinstated.

State records also show that Creek Construction Corp., of which Bartlett was an officer, also was suspended twice for not paying the same tax during the same time period.

Bartlett said those businesses were closed in the mid-'70s "and we were unaware that there was no record of their closures until the early 1980s."

Because of property issues related to his divorce, Bartlett said he did pay interest on late property tax payments on his condominium in 2003 and 2004.

As a city councilor from 1990 to 1994, Bartlett voted to raise parking meter rates, increase the cost of emergency ambulance rides, boost the standard bus fare and raise city utility rates.

The ad: Tom's a liberal spender.

Format: Television commercial.

Paid for by: Republican Dewey Bartlett Jr.'s campaign.

The message: The ad opens with a picture of Tom Adelson as a voice-over says: "Tom Adelson is a tax-and-spend liberal. Tom Adelson voted against capping our property taxes, allowing the automatic increases to continue each year. (A family is shown on its front porch.) Tom Adelson co-authored a $93 million tax on hospitals, as if health care doesn't cost enough already. (The inside of a hospital is shown.) And even with police officers being laid off, (a blurred picture of police cars is shown) Tom Adelson wants the city of Tulsa to pay for subsidized housing. Tom Adelson may be talking, but we can't afford the liberal spending he's talking about."

Fact or Fiction: Adelson voted against two legislative measures that dealt with reducing the 5-percent cap on annual property taxes, but those bills died in committee.

There is no hospital tax.

Adelson did co-sponsor a Medicaid reform bill that was signed into law and called for a state appropriation, not a tax, of $93 million to increase Medicaid reimbursements. Only one lawmaker in either the House or Senate voted against the bill.

Adelson didn't suggest using city money to subsidize housing for teachers but has encouraged private philanthropy to work in partnership with the city, such as what has occurred with Teach for America teachers in Tulsa.

The ad: Perkins is the right choice.

Format: Television commercial.

Paid for by: Independent Mark Perkins' campaign.

The message: The commercial begins with a view of Tulsa's skyline and a voice-over says: "Tulsa's mayor should reflect the character of its citizens." As Perkins is shown with construction workers, a family, in a board room and in a restaurant, the voice-over continues: "Mark Perkins has the education to understand, the judgment to make good decisions and the wisdom to surround himself with the most capable leaders. There are two choices in this election — the politicians who divide us, or the leader who unites us."

Perkins is then shown in front of City Hall with a group of supports as he says: "It is your city Tulsa. Make the right choice, not the easy choice. On Nov. 10th vote for Mark Perkins."



P.J. Lassek 581-8382
pj.lassek@tulsaworld.com


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Tulsa World Reader Comments
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Mar, Tulsa (11/7/2009 10:27:18 AM)
Yes Bartlett and Adelson, even though most Tulsa citizens don't approve of the mud-slinging ads, both men continue to do so. Now as for Mark Perkins ad: Classy, classy and classy. I'm voting for Mark Perkins. :-)

Few Clothes, America (11/7/2009 8:36:52 AM)
Ah, yes. The good old mudslinging of politicians. Who of you are going to attack crime and spend less money for the fine people of Tulsa?

Few Clothes, America (11/7/2009 12:27:27 PM)
I don't think any of the 3 girls are enough for the citizens of Tulsa.

TulsaTulsa, Tulsa (11/8/2009 10:12:27 PM)
Mr. Perkins appears to be a down to earth sort of guy. His comments are always based in what I consider "common sense" or more appropriately, logic. mark for mayor dot com

TulsaTulsa, Tulsa (11/8/2009 10:14:17 PM)
where are the spanish language signs in downtown Mike, I havn't seen them

nativedaughter, (11/7/2009 4:05:40 PM)
Everybody has the right to throw things away. Usually its something not worth anything. But to vote for Perkins is to throw your vote away. He can't win, even he knows it. And in a time of crisis like the city is in why would you vote for Adelson who, he even admits, has never run anything. This isn't about the candidates future..its about ours.And its not about the ads. So what? There just ads. Get real people, this is about the future of your town. Quit thinking with your emotions and think with your brains.

007, Tulsa (11/7/2009 10:49:25 AM)
well the last trust fund brat oil man I voted for almost destroyed the country............so that does'nt leave us much of a choice.

sweeper, (11/7/2009 12:21:37 PM)
Both of Perkins commercials are in that video list if you want to see them.

mike2000, (11/7/2009 7:59:37 AM)
I would support any candidate that will remove the Spanish language signs on downtown government buildings.

slideitin2deep, tulsa (11/7/2009 11:59:13 AM)
ok heres the poop on this bull I have recieved several phone calls from the bartlett campaign none from adelson.I am sick of mr bartlett dont like him nr his dad.dont call me again or i will report you for harrassing phonecalls .And if u dont like it and have the guts to say anything about it i got a nice big feild we can meet in . but only ones gonna walk out .Any bets on who it will be whine bag daddys boy or former marine with a bad attitude

slideitin2deep, tulsa (11/7/2009 1:01:55 PM)
no matter who gets elected .1 THey cant screw this town up anyworse than it already is 2. If they do the citizens will do nothing but whine and snivel about it. 3. Then the next guy will get blamed for it Bottom line.You are in charge of your own destiny the citizens are in charge of the towns destiny. Quit electing politions and the good ol boys .Step up and take charge of your town .. and for gods sake quit whining bout it after u screw it up.

slideitin2deep, tulsa (11/7/2009 1:14:56 PM)
i got a better idea just elect the quick trip founder. get rid of the so called city council. let the mayor run the place instead of being a bobblehead yes man for the council. bring all issues affecting the ditizens of this town up for a vote. fix the damm streets insted of building entertaimnet venues with the tax money.

BetterorWorse, (11/8/2009 1:21:37 AM)
These candidates continuing to throw such negative ads around do nothing but show the contempt they have for the very office they are striving for...one that demands that the winner have a plan in place for dealing with Tulsa's issues - budget, police, fire, services, corruption, efficiencies, economic developmend and jobs, etc etc. To date, neither of the top contenders has offered up any substantial solutions for tackling these problems and yet they want to be our next mayor? I worry when Tulsans want to elect someone simply based on party or name...we deserve AND NEED better. If these candidates have no more time than to sling mud at eachother, let them go on and do it on their own time...lets have a candidate that not as petty and willing to discuss issues... My vote is now solidly for Mark Perkins

dragonfly, (11/7/2009 8:14:26 PM)
nativedaughter- he can win, if people vote. Negative campaigning and fear are what got both major parties in trouble in this campaign and what has put Mark in a place where he can win. They are not just ads, they are an example of someones character. They are a response to an application for a job. They are an indication of how a mayor will manage when he is under the gun.They are party politics at their worst. NO vote is a wasted vote. This is real thinking, it is future thinking, those who think a vote can be thrown away are living in the past.I encourage everyone to have the courage to use both their emotions and their brains and vote Mark for Mayor!!!

A-mused, Tulsa (11/9/2009 7:33:45 AM)
Thank you dragonfly for setting nativedaughter straight! I hope Perkins wins. We need a breath of fresh air around Tulsa and that's just what he is! TulsaTulsa - Mark IS a "down to earth", personable guy, with a good head on his shoulders. :-)



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