Can we bring you a yard sign? Email lakinforcouncil@gmail.com
Can we bring you a yard sign? Email lakinforcouncil@gmail.com
Lakin Shapes the Future of Tulsa
Over Phil’s twelve years as a Councilor, he has served with 23 different councilors and 2 mayors, and has been able to lead in these efforts, which will forever shape and benefit Tulsa:
- Invested billions of dollars in visionary projects, street widening, a south Tulsa dam, and infrastructure through four tax packages (Improve Our Tulsa 1/2/3 and Vision Tulsa) that were all overwhelmingly supported by voters;
- Completed two widening projects: Yale (Creek to 103rd) and 81st (Sheridan to Memorial). Yale widening (81st to 91st) will finish mid-August, providing increased safety and a template for future projects. And $50M+ more in widening is slated: 81st (Harvard to Yale), and Sheridan at 101st and 81st to 91st.
- Strengthened public safety through a permanent fund to employ 160 police officers and 65 firefighters and invest $100s of millions in additional equipment, vehicles, and the Real Time Crime Center;
- Appropriated over $100MM to shelter and build affordable housing inventory for those without homes, while also strengthening trespassing and obstruction ordinances to keep our public safe;
- Beautified Tulsa through a unique ordinance that has caused 100s of thousands of illegal advertising signs to be removed, and allocate over $70MM to bury ugly utility lines, light city streets, and maintain medians;
- Invested $2.25MM to support and expand offerings for local arts organizations over 15 years; and,
- Allocated $100s of millions in ARPA funds for a new control tower at and direct flights from Tulsa’s airport, golf course improvements at Page Belcher and Mohawk, a new and desperately needed animal shelter, and a first-ever investment in Tulsa’s municipal court to markedly expand access to courts, specialty courts, and mental health services.
Lakin constantly communicates and connects with District 8 residents in-person and through social media. He prepares videos and written updates on road widening and resurfacing projects and closures, trash collection, and various other activities so people know about and can plan for what is happening. The Yale widening project has been of particular interest to residents and Lakin has provided consistent updates relating to lane closures, traffic shifts, and the upcoming full opening. During the 2019 flood, Lakin provided Keystone release rates, flood maps, and emergency plans in real-time, so neighbors were able to protect their families and property. Transparency and consistent, intentional communication will continue to be hallmarks of the work that Lakin does for south Tulsa.
It’s easy to see that Lakin kept his promise to widen our roads and knows how to do the work: Yale (Creek to 103rd) and 81st (Sheridan to Memorial) were both converted from unsafe, two-laned roads lined by bar ditches to four-lane roads with center turn lanes to protect drivers, and sidewalks to carry bikes and pedestrians. Lakin collaborated deeply with neighbors, engineers, and contractors to widen Yale over the hill between 81st and 91st, which will be finished in August. The deadly curve that claimed lives and caused countless accidents is gone; six lanes replace two; and, a turn lane protects drivers crossing traffic. The beautiful landscaping and hardscaping finish out the project the right way, restoring beauty to the corridor. And $50M+ in widening is slated due to Lakin’s work and advocacy: 81st (Harvard to Yale), Sheridan (101st intersection), and Sheridan (81st to 91st). Lakin lifted the widening moratorium of old councils and restored $100s of millions to make critical widening possible again. Lakin is hands-on and gets the work done, involving homeowners and associations in every aspect of project planning and design, so our streets exceed our expectations and add value to our community.
