Wednesday, the Tulsa World reported that Gov. Brad Henry wants to throw more good money after bad! He and his advisors want to give General Motors a $200 million bribe to keep their Oklahoma City plant open. Gov. Henry wants to sell bonds to raise the $200 million, with taxpayers paying off the bonds. The GM plant employs about 2,000 workers and is scheduled to begin closing down next month.

The closing of the Delta Faucet Company plant in Chickasha, Oklahoma, laying off nearly 600 workers is another example state government policy gone bad. In the recent sessions passed, the legislature has passed “Right to Work” and “Workers Compensation Reform” bills, all touted as saviors of jobs and imperative to creating new jobs in Oklahoma.

The increase in job holders in Oklahoma from November 2004 to November 2005 was 1.1%. These statistics don't distinguish between part-time and full-time workers because some companies claim 28 hours per week is full time.

Our state leaders must change their long held convictions that today’s reality contradict. Some other formula exists other than the short-sighted low-wage, tax give-away model.

Yesterday, Tulsa Mayor Bill LaFortune asked the city council to spend $4.3 million to build new hangers for American Airines. This is in addition to $22.3 million in incentives the city gave the airline in 2003.

Of course, American is blackmailing LaFortune by saying, "if the city of Tulsa doesn't build these hangers, we'll assign the additional work to Kansas City." LaFortune's response is that the airport needs the additions and American would be a temporary tenant of the hangers. The mayor also claims that growth of other businesses at the airport necessites the additional hangers after American's lease expires.

I'm sure my friends in the union at American would quickly point out to Mayor LaFortune that the company hasn't been exactly fair to their employees, extracting wage cuts from the nuts and bolts workers who make the airline hum, while lavishing huge bonuses on the top brass.

I think the council should delay a decision until after the mayoral elections when the citizens will decide on LaFortune's stewardship.