Apr
30
‘A chance for fresh leadership’
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In it, the lawmakers said, “Polls show more than 70 percent of Oklahomans support term limits for all statewide office holders. Let’s hope the state Senate will give Oklahomans the chance this November to bring innovative leadership and fresh ideas to the other branches of our government.”
Apr
30
The Wonders of Modern Electronics
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The Oklahoma state government is modernizing in an effort to save taxpayers money.Governor Brad Henry signed into law a bill that would bring modernize conveniences to the state government such as online bill pay for state vendors.
Apr
29
Deal or No Deal?
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If you’ll recall, SB 1987 is the measure that would let Oklahomans this fall vote on enacting 12-year term limits for statewide secondary offices. Edmondson protested the bill saying it would be retroactive and force he and state School Superintendent Sandy Garrett and Corporation Commissioner Bob Anthony from office.
According to a press release, Brogdon said he and Edmondson had struck a deal on the bill.
“General Edmondson made some suggested changes to the bill’s language. I merged his language with my amended language, and I heard back from his office this morning that he has no additional changes,” said Brogdon, R-Owasso.
“It looks like we will be good to go with these changes if we can get an agreement with Senate Democrats to send the bill to conference committee, make the changes, and bring the bill back to the Senate floor for a vote,” Brogdon said.
“I am confident that the Democrat senators who voted for this term limits bill earlier in the session will appreciate the good faith efforts we have made to ensure that the term limits are not retroactive,” he said.
According to media reports, Edmondson still doth protest too much over the bill and says he doesn’t like it (I wonder why).
Let’s hope the Democrats who voted for the bill the first time around have the constitution to stand strong and give us a chance to vote on this issue in November!
Apr
28
A strong argument can be made for the Legislature to submit both
questions to a vote of the people that is not always applicable to other issues.
First the Legislature has no power to amend the state constitution. That is
reserved to the people.
More importantly, both of these issues are of wide concern among the
electorate with seemingly overwhelming support. A July, 2007 Pulse Opinion
Research survey of 1,000 likely voters found 77 percent of them would vote
for a measure setting term limits for elected state officials. Last December a
poll by the Tulsa World and KOTV showed 73 percent in favor. …With so much effort being put forth by various groups to hamper the
circulation of initiative petitions to get such questions on the ballot, it
seems incumbent that the Legislature should give the people the chance they
obviously want to decide these two.
Click here to read the entire column.
Apr
28
According the The Norman Transcript, Wilcoxson said, “Term limits have been very good for Oklahoma. Oklahoma voters did a good job when they passed the amendment. It’s made a difference here. It’s brought an infusion of new legislation.”
Wilcoxson herself is term-limited after the end of this session but she said, “Even though it hurts to be fired, the idea was a good one.”
Here, here!
Apr
25
House Approves Accountability Office
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Lawmakers say the office would be responsible for conducting performance audits and reviewing tax incentives.
Score one for fans of good government. Creating this office should help efforts to streamline and reduce government workings.
Apr
24
Government Spending at a ‘Standstill’
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The $7.1 billion budget maintains current spending levels and means there won’t be any new money for state agencies.
The Oklahoman says the governor is expected to sign the budget deal.
If you can’t decrease government spending, at least you can keep it from increasing.
Apr
24
The AG and Term Limits
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Drew Edmondson: Poster Child for Term Limits
“Drew Edmondson and his entourage filed into the House gallery on Thursday of last week to personally hear the debate and watch the vote on the state-wide elected official term limits bill (SB 1987). Edmondson was seen hastily walking out of the chamber in disgust of passage of the measure.”
Click here to read the entire entry.
Apr
22
“Death Tax” to Die Sooner?
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Will the “death tax” die sooner in Oklahoma? We can only hope.Apr
22
A Better Choice for Oklahoma Students
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The bill creates a scholarship program for low-income children attending schools in Oklahoma City and Tulsa that have been on the federal “needs improvement” list for three or more years. The scholarships would help these students to attend private schools.
The House is scheduled to take up the measure this week.
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