As plans move ahead to woo Boeing, Tulsa's Vision plan becomes blurred

Tulsa's mayor confirms the city will offer an incentive package to Boeing - but there's a new standard set for the competition and concern that it could derail Tulsa's Vision Plan. <br><br>News

Thursday, June 19th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Tulsa's mayor confirms the city will offer an incentive package to Boeing - but there's a new standard set for the competition and concern that it could derail Tulsa's Vision Plan.

News on 6 reporter Emory Bryan says the city was very close a final list of projects for the Vision package when the Boeing proposal came up. Now - there has to be a decision between a tax incentive for Boeing, and a tax for the Vision Plan, or some combination of the two.

The Vision plan started a year ago with 1,100 people offering ideas on ways to improve the city - and ultimately provide jobs. But the possibility of luring a plant to manufacture an airplane - a plant that would employ 1,200 people - has temporarily pushed the Vision Plan off the front burner.

Jamie Jamieson with Tulsa Now: â€œWe're concerned that there's a risk that the whole dialog process is under threat and we think strategically that would be the wrong thing for Tulsa and indeed for the region.â€ The mayor says the vision process will continue, but that Boeing has to take priority - and we could be off the list so quickly, it would not delay a fall vote on the vision plan.

We don't know what Tulsa's offer to Boeing will be - but Washington State where Boeing already has most of its manufacturing operation, is offering $3-billion in tax breaks.