Nobody wants to lose a corporate sponsor regardless how ridiculous either your position or theirs might be.
Take the latest flare-up over the Boy Scouts rethinking their ban on homosexuals. Why would this be? In 2000, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Scout’s ban on gays. Is it that the Scout oath and law is just old fashioned? Under the oath, a scout pledges to keep himself morally straight. Under the scout law, a scout is clean and reverent. No wonder so many churches sponsor scout troops. These boys are good citizens.
What has happened is companies like Intel, AT&T, Merck and Ernst & Young have moved to withhold funds from organizations that discriminate against gays. Can these companies’ money replace the churches which may discontinue scouting? Is money so important? I don’t remember any company paying Troop 20′s way when I was a scout there. But as the Timothy epistle said, “For the love of money is the root of all evil.” What should have happened is those who want a gay troop should start their own program and leave the rest of us alone, but the Left can’t ever do that. Our side needs to be far tougher.
We also saw the political correctness and potential loss of sponsorships rear its head. In this case, super star golfer Phil Mickelson lamented that federal and California state tax hikes “made him contemplate making drastic changes in his life, including it was widely assumed, moving to a no-income-tax state such as Florida or Texas.”
As the Wall Street Journal wrote, “Didn’t he know that athletes unlike Hollywood celebrities are supposed to keep their politics to themselves?”
For his transgression of teeing off his critics, Mr. Mickelson apologized saying, “Finances and taxes are a personal matter.” Well, Tiger Woods on the other hand admitted that he moved to Florida in 1996 to get away from California income taxes. According to the WSJ, Mr. Woods grossed $56.4 million in 2012 and Mr. Mickelson earned $60.7 million. Had Tiger Woods stayed in California he would have paid $7.5 million in state taxes. By staying Phil Mickelson will owe the state $8 million. These are funds that could have gone to charity instead of bloated state government.
“Mr. Mickelson was merely reading the wind when he floated the idea of making drastic changes,” wrote Allysia Finley. “PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem, a former advisor to President Carter noted during the Mickelson brouhaha that there are businesses relocating out of California because they can operate better in states that have lower tax rates.”
The WSJ noted, “About 3.5 million Californians have migrated to other states over the past two decades almost anywhere they go would allow them to enjoy greater returns on their labor.”
That brings us to the final question of the day. Is Tulsa getting its share of business relocating from California?
Later this year our mayoral race will be held. This is the first year it is nonpartisan – meaning no one will have a predetermined voter block to help them. Each candidate will need to answer the question, how many jobs have you brought to Tulsa?
Our current mayor brought in a new and more expensive trash service for $11 million and was fined $700,000 by HUD. Our former mayor moved City Hall costing the city nearly $10 million in new expenses. All burned-out and derelict buildings from years past are still with us and Tulsa Public Schools is graded “D”.
Maybe it’s time for a new horse? One that can appeal to all sections of the city. Former Marine Captain Bill Christiansen meets that qualification. It just makes common sense.
