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THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2010
MONOLOGUE
OPINION OUR VIEWS | CONSULTANTS VIE FOR CONVENTION CENTER
Ball is rolling on top piece of MAPS 3 plan OST concerns have forced a slight change to a complementary piece of MAPS 3. The biggest piece is in the early stages but is coming along. Oklahoma City Council members voted last week to tweak the design of the pedestrian bridge that will span the Interstate 40 Crosstown Expressway when that highway is completed in a few years. The bridge isn’t part of the MAPS 3 projects voters approved 11 months ago. But the bridge will connect the north and south sides of a 70-acre park, which is on the MAPS 3 projects’ list. Original plans for the Skydance Bridge had cables extending from an 18-story sculpture to the bridge below. The plan approved last week changes the design to make it a free-standing structure. Meantime, the price tag for a new downtown convention center — the biggest and arguably most important MAPS 3 project — is $280 million. It will be several years before it’s completed, but it may not be long before the facility begins to take shape. That’s because eight firms from around the U.S. are competing to be the consultant for planning the convention center. The fact this job has attracted a national response from competing firms can only be good for the city, in ensuring it gets the best deal available. The importance of a new convention center can’t be overstated. The other pieces of the $770 million MAPS 3 lineup are important in their own right and will make
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The University of South Carolina will offer a new class devoted to Lady Gaga. Or you can just take your parents’ tuition money and flush it directly down the toilet.” JIMMY FALLON
“LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON”
YOUR VIEWS
Day of gratitude Any city that aspires to climb into the top 25 nationwide has to have a facility that attracts large conventions on a regular basis. our city a better place to live. But any city that aspires to climb into the top 25 nationwide has to have a facility that attracts large conventions on a regular basis. A steady diet of conventions generates revenue and buzz — and if done right, plenty of both. The old Myriad was retrofitted into the Cox Convention Center about a decade ago. But it’s too small to attract the kind of conventions a major league city needs. Hence the need for a new and much bigger one. Selection of the consultant is part of the initial process of getting the project off the drawing board. The most crucial step is deciding where the building will be located. Some want it to be handy to Bricktown; others believe it would be better to place the convention center closer to what used to be called the Ford Center, nearer to where the new green space will emerge. That’s a decision for another day. Now it’s time to focus on the consultant, who can help guide a process that eventually will turn another of Oklahoma City’s big dreams into reality.
MICHAEL RAMIREZ/INVESTOR’S BUSINESS DAILY
We’ll take ’em: High-paying jobs are headed this way
Cut rate: On defense, U.S. can’t follow Brits
It seems a good many Boeing employees aren’t all that excited about the prospects of moving to Oklahoma when their jobs begin doing the same early next year. We’re sorry to hear that, although the good news is that bright Oklahomans figure to benefit as a result. Steve Hendrickson, Boeing’s director of government operations, told city business leaders Monday that he expects “hundreds” of the high-paying jobs to go to people hired locally. And he means highpaying — an average of $130,000 per year. Boeing announced in August that it was moving its C-130 Avionics Modernization and B-1 programs, and the 550 engineering jobs associated with them, to Oklahoma City from Long Beach, Calif. The aerospace giant already has about 1,000 employees in our state; moving these programs here will save Boeing money and help its competitiveness in the market. Hendrickson admitted that workers in California were “reluctant, surprised and apprehensive” when they heard about the company’s move. “There are some enthusiastic employees embracing it, but others, not so much,” he said. We can’t match the ocean beaches in Southern California, and Long Beach may have us beat on yearround weather. But the quality of life is good here, the cost of living is far superior and our traffic is a breeze by comparison. Hendrickson said Boeing is “not done announcing” other moves. Here’s hoping Oklahoma stays on the company’s list of best options. And if Californians don’t want them, we’ll certainly take all the goodpaying jobs the company has to offer.
Britain’s plan to dramatically cut government has had many people wondering whether similar deficit reduction could work in the United States. It could, but there’s a caveat to the Brits’ acrossthe-board spending slash — deep gashes in defense spending raise questions about whether Britain can defend itself and meet military obligations around the world. By 2015-16, British military spending reportedly will fall from 2.7 percent of the country’s total economic output to 2 percent. All armed services will lose uniformed personnel, and spending on weapons systems and platforms will fall. Prime Minister David Cameron says Britain will not reduce efforts in Afghanistan, but Theodore Bromund of the conservative Heritage Foundation writes that the cuts pose a “risk to Britain’s ability to deter, fight and win wars.” There also could be ripple effects. Others in NATO will find it easier to justify their own military cuts, Bromund writes, and Britain could become more reliant on the U.S. “Britain will become increasingly focused on providing boots on the ground while relying on the U.S. to supply the transport, logistics, and heavy weapons,” he writes. “Simply put, Britain is slowly giving up on conventional deterrence.” The United States doesn’t have that luxury. There’s no military benefactor to cover for U.S. defense cuts on a similar scale — the cue Pentagon opponents no doubt will take from Great Britain. While we’re not reflexively opposed to cutting military spending, national defense is government’s primary duty and shouldn’t be considered a big, easy target for funding other, lower-priority programs.
A resolution presented to Congress would require employers to give veterans time off on Veterans Day in order to observe this holiday and also to be recognized for their military service. After being referred to a House committee and subcommittee, the issue appears to have been dropped. A majority of employers don’t allow veterans to take the day off, on a holiday designed for them! And if they do allow it, a penalty of sorts (they must use a sick day, vacation day or get no pay) is incurred. Giving one day out of the year to show our gratitude toward those who’ve shown us their patriotism, love of country and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good isn’t too much to ask. With Veterans Day coming up soon, how can an issue such as this just die in committee? Kevin Mullins, McLoud
‘JESUS IN DISGUISE’ Regarding “Shack-a-thon in Edmond has students at UCO outdoors” (feature, Oct. 27): I’d like to give all of the participating UCO students a round of applause. As a student who took part last year in a UCO student Erick Silva similar event at St. sits outside his shack Gregory’s Uniduring annual Shack-aversity in Shawnee, Thon. I appreciate what the UCO students are doing. From my own experience, sleeping in a box toward the end of fall was the coldest, longest, most sleepless night I’ve had. However, it was a sacrifice worth doing. The ability to experience, even to a degree, what the homeless regularly experience was to put myself in their shoes. It was to take myself out of my generally spoiled life and look at it from another’s perspective. It was to be in solidarity with the less fortunate around us. For these UCO students, it’s a beautiful time to be in solidarity with each other. As Mother Teresa, the missionary to the poorest of the poor, would say, “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one ... each one is Jesus in disguise.” UCO is doing just this by camping out and “begging” in order to help feed the homeless. Samantha Bugos, McLoud
GREAT EXPECTATIONS I don’t like paying taxes, but it’s necessary if I’m to get the things I’ve come to expect from government. I expect highways and bridges to be safe and to fly without fear of crashing. I expect assistance when natural or man-made disasters strike and to have clean water and safe, nutritious food. I expect the armed forces to keep us safe from enemies, and I expect that banks and loan companies will be prevented from cheating me. When people get sick, I expect them to get all necessary treatment regardless of their financial worth. I expect children to get the best education in the world. I expect people who fall on hard times to be helped, and I expect people who rob, cheat and steal with the gun or pen to be prosecuted. I expect businesses to create safe work environments. I expect pensions to be fully funded and protected from misappropriation. I expect my Social Security and Medicare benefits to be paid. I expect government to look out for everyone, not just those with money and power. And I would happily pay a few dollars more in taxes if government would guarantee that everyone has a job. A.A. Austin, Del City
ABOLISH FEDERAL AGENCY In a debate between candidates for the 5th District congressional seat, the question was asked whether the candidates favored abolishment of the U.S. Department of Education. Both candidates said no. I can see that with Democratic nominee Billy Coyle but not with Republican James Lankford. The Department of Education and the National Education Association are inextricable partners. This hasn’t been a good thing. How can conservative representatives be content to allow this faulty system to continue? Ever since the department was created during the Carter administration, education quality has declined. Many Oklahomans have been clamoring for years to get education returned to the states. We’re fed up with liberals having absolute control over our education system and we want it changed. Claude Chambers, Earlsboro