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Oklahoma Senate
Tulsa legislators to hold press conference Monday; Seek input from community on planned juvenile center
TULSA – State Sen. Kevin Matthews and Rep. Regina Goodwin are disappointed in Tulsa County officials whose questionable transparency and lack of communication with local residents about recent public spending is once again raising concern within the community.
The Tulsa democrats will hold a press conference Monday to discuss Tulsa County’s plan to purchase property near 36th Street North and Martin Luther King in Tulsa for a juvenile justice center – a move that local community leaders, legislators, business owners, neighborhood associations, ministers and citizens say that county officials have never consulted them on.
The press conference will be held on Monday, September 28th at 10:30AM outside the Westview Pharmacy located at 36th North and Martin Luther King.
Matthews said local community leaders and citizens have been brainstorming on possible economic development projects in the area to help promote Oklahoma’s rich African American history and increase tourism.
“This is our community and yet we’re not being asked for our input as to how our county tax dollars should be spent. The county has shown a blatant disrespect for the local citizens and business owners who are completely against the building of this juvenile center that we were made aware of recently only after the county had already taken key steps to purchase the property,” said Matthews, D-Tulsa. “We have already been working on ideas to help improve economic development in the area by showcasing our state’s rich African American heritage including Black Wall Street in the Greenwood District and the many famous musicians, actors and others who have left their mark on history. This center will do nothing but further hurt economic development in the area.”
Goodwin noted that projects keep getting put in the district that local residents don’t want because they don’t provide economic growth.
“It’s frustrating to be told what’s going to happen in our backyard instead of creating the kinds of projects we want. We desperately need some economic development in this district and this type of facility won’t help,” said Goodwin, D-Tulsa. “Once again, we’re being planned for, rather than planned with on these types of projects. We’ve had more than our fair share of social service projects placed in our district and the county needs to find somewhere else for this juvenile center.”
Sen. Matthews and Rep. Goodwin will also be holding a community forum to further allow local residents to voice their concerns to local county commissioners about the proposed family justice center project on Saturday, October 3 at Rudisill Library at 10:00AM.
