Mayor G.T. Bynum wants to do away with “partisan politics.” It’s just too divisive in his view.

Maybe he should register as an Independent instead of a Republican so that the Republicans who voted for him would know more about where he stands.

“In Tulsa, people still matter more than partisanship,” Bynum said.

That sounds good but it’s just not true in politics.

The mayor and the city councilors are steeped in politics. The ones who are registered as Republicans act like Democrats and the ones who are registered Democrats act like Democrats.

Tulsa is a divided city. There is Midtown and Downtown versus the rest of the city. A Republican in Midtown thinks more like a Democrat than a Republican in South Tulsa. Downtown Republicans, for the most part, are social liberals. Many used to be fiscal conservatives but even that has gone by the wayside.

Downtown/Midtown prevails when it comes to city politics. Per capita, more money is spent on Downtown than any other part of the city. Rush hour traffic jams on two-lane roads in South Tulsa have no impact on policy makers while wide streets Downtown have a handful of vehicles.

Bynum gives his annual “state of the city” address before a high-priced, private lunch sponsored by the chamber. That is telling.

If you don’t want the voters to know your guiding principles, it is wise to disguise your party affiliation. If you want to trick the electorate, register and run without regard to the party platform. It’s usually a winning strategy even though it is patently dishonest.

People do matter more than partisanship. People also matter more than self-interest and cronyism.