Three Tulsa Charter Amendments Are Up For A Vote Tuesday

By Emory Bryan, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Tuesday is Election Day for Tulsa voters. Besides several city offices, including the mayor's race, three city charter amendments are up for a vote.

The amendments are in the form of propositions on the ballot. A vote for them would change the city charter.

The three propositions came to the ballot through the Tulsa city council. According to one early voter, they are almost self explanatory.

"These were some of the better ones I've seen. Some are so long and convoluted, but these were very well put together," said Samett King, a voter.

Proposition one would set a certification standard for the city auditor.

Proposition two would lengthen the terms of city councilors, from the current two years to three. It would stagger the election cycle, so three councilors would be up for election each year instead of all at once as it is now. Critics point out the city would have to pay for extra elections, but advocates note it would ensure continuity on the council. 

Proposition three came about after the mayor settled a $7 million lawsuit over Great Plains Airlines. The proposition would require council approval of settlements over $1 million. Right now the mayor has that power alone.

"Regardless of what you think about that settlement, whether we should have accepted it or not, what disturbed me about the process is that the city council had no role in voting whether or not we should accept that settlement," said GT Bynum, Tulsa City Council.

Bynum notes the council votes on every other expense and the mayor could still handle lawsuits under a million dollars.

The Chamber of Commerce is against proposition three.

"We think the mayor having the ability to settle a lawsuit goes a long way toward getting a lawsuit settled. If you have to take that public and do it before city council and have a public discussion, nothing will ever get settled," said Mike Neal, Tulsa Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber of commerce is for the proposition about the city auditor, but against the other two.

The mayor says she is against all three of them.

The individual city councilors have different opinions, but the body as a whole vote to put them on the ballot.