Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

OKLAHOMA CITY — This past week, gubernatorial candidate and current attorney general, Drew Edmondson, a Democrat, was campaigning in Cimarron County, in the far west of the Oklahoma Panhandle, and pretty much echoed the comments he made to Oklahoma Watchdog when interviewed by C.F. David of The Boise City News.

Were he to win the candidacy, Edmondson said “jobs” and stimulating the economy would be top priorities, while acknowledging that 2011 will be “a difficult year” for whomever is elected to lead the state.

Bearing in mind that wind energy is important in rural western Oklahoma, Edmondson noted that building “our renewable energy portfolio” is a top priority and that “problems with oil and gas production would need to be solved.”

He added that wind turbines are not built in Oklahoma and that the state is missing out on those jobs. Still, he pushed for increased development of  natural gas, a bi-partisan issue, considering U.S. Rep. John Sullivan’s comments to Oklahoma Watchdog in January during a visit to his Washington office.

He expressed reservations about “Cap and Trade” legislation, particularly considering its potential effect on the state’s agricultural and energy sectors.

And when it comes to ObamaCare, The Boise City News reported that Edmondson prefers not to focus on the national-level health politics and instead look at Oklahoma’s “tack” and the fact that the “Insure Oklahoma Plan” has been financed with tobacco taxes and that has “made private health care available to small businesses that otherwise couldn’t afford it.”

Oklahoma Watchdog will continue to follow and report on the Edmondson campaign and all of the campaigns of the top candidates currently running – Republicans Randy Brogdon and Mary Fallin and Democrat Jari Askins.

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog

“I’m not surprised,” Edmondson said of the report and the findings that showed Oklahoma in rough financial waters. “The recession was a little slow in getting here.”

Compared to financially unstable states like Michigan and California, Edmondson said, Oklahoma is “in pretty good shape.”

With oil and gas revenues lower than in previous years, Edmondson said the “deficit really got bad” but that “we’re starting to get out of that.”

But it will be in 2011 and 2012 that the economic realities of the downturn and declining revenues that will lead to some serious decision making by legislators.

Expanding natural gas production in the state should also be a priority, he said, adding that aerospace and aviation jobs need to be encouraged as well.

“”Our first obligation should be to grow jobs,” Edmondson said, noting that energy sector jobs are particularly important, something Washington seems not to understand.

And if elected governor, Edmondson – the state’s top lawyer – would want to eliminate waste and duplication by doing away with all the lawyers in the state’s 250 or so agencies.

“I don’t think that’s good government,” Edmondson said of having all those lawyers in state agencies. “It’s not an effecient way of using legal talent.”

Asked about SQ 744, which we’ve addressed here at Oklahoma Watchdog, Edmondson said he is “concerned that it has no funding source.”

SQ 744, which is being supported byhe Oklahoma Education Association, would bring Oklahoma to the regional average when it came to spending per student. The OEA argues that this constitutional amendment would truly make education a “priority,” while circumventing the legislature and bringing the issue directly to “the people.” As Oklahomans For Responsible Government have noted, implementing SQ 744 would cost as much as $850 million and potentially mean a 20 percent across the board cut for every state agency.

“It means money taken away from others areas,” if passed, he said, adding a little tweak to our neighbors to the east , “And I don’t think I’d brag about being equal to Arkansas.”

Asked if he supported consolidating smaller, rural schools in order to save money, Edmondson said consolidating school administrations would make more sense.

“”Close a school, kill a town,” he said.

By Andrew W. Griffin

Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

Posted: March 16, 2010

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog

An important story, coming out of The Oklahoman and addressing the state’s problematic tax credit program is in this story, headlined “Tax credits measure survives defeat in Oklahoma House.”

Thanks to the efforts of Norman investigative blogger The Prowling Owl, along with Reps. Michael Reynolds (R-Oklahoma City) and David Dank (R-Oklahoma City) and others, the tax credit program has been terribly abused and the state has lost millions of dollars since it’s implementation a decade ago.

Rep. Skye McNiel (R-Bristow) wanted to make sure the tax credits were non-transferable in HB 3397 while making sure they were extended to 2017. Reynolds objected and a vote was taken which did not allow for the extension. McNiel said her town had benefited from the tax credit program.

The tax credit program has been good in that it has lured film productions to Oklahoma. But unfortunately everything from Great Plains Airlines – which received approximately $21 million in tax credits – and Rocketplane, which got approximately $17 million in tax credits, never had the number of people employed in Oklahoma that they projected and it eventually left the state entirely, with little having been accomplished.

There have been reports that six companies that have received rural investment tax credits have the same post office box in Shawnee and the money allegedly received from the sales of the tax credits went to buy a corporate airplane and provided no known jobs.

Fortunately, this issue is finally being looked at seriously. Reynolds, a critic of the Oklahoma Tax Commission, has called for a federal investigation of possible fraudulent tax documents being used in applications for tax credits.

Making tax credits non-transferable will get rid of most of, if not all of, the fraud in the program.

Oklahoma Watchdog believes this is a step in the right direction and we will be interviewing Rep. McNiel to get the full details of the House bill.

By Andrew W. Griffin

Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

Posted: March 14, 2010

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog

OKLAHOMA CITY – Everywhere you look, people are talking about budget cuts in Oklahoma. This week, an Associated Press article reported that in the state Senate, there is a battle over the state’s $669 million budget shortfall and cuts that would need to be made to senior nutrition programs.

At the end of February, the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government reported Oklahoma was No. 1, with the fifth consecutive quarterly drop in tax collections.

Oklahoma, which had largely weathered the maelstrom, is starting to feel the effects.

And in a recent editorial in The Oklahoman, headlined “We’re No. 1: State’s fiscal dip leads other states,” they wrote: “Oklahoma’s personal income tax collections fell by 24 percent, which also led the nation. It’s corporate income tax collections fell by even more.”

Significantly, The Oklahoman editorial noted that “sales tax collections dropped by 15.4 percent, compared with 4.2 percent nationally.”

There’s a reason for these tumbles, says Ted H. Smith, an economic analyst from Norman, Okla., who has been watching these developments closely and referencing state budget documents available online.

Smith told Oklahoma Watchdog that in the mid-to-latter half of the 2000s, spending on programs went up while little was done to further cushion the state’s coffers with additional monies in the Rainy Day Fund.

“There’s a little history that is called for when looking at the budget and the position it is in here in 2010,” Smith said.

In the state, expenditures per person, per capita has increased by 95 percent, Smith noted as he did the calculations in his Norman office.

“As revenues to the state grew due to improved oil and gas prices and job growth in the state was increased …,” Smith said. “The revenues to the state continued to increase, but no additional monies were added to the Rainy Day fund above $600 million.”

Smith said that as oil prices were high and the economy was humming, the Oklahoma state legislature failed to act in a responsible way.

“As this revenue came in, they could have increased the Rainy Day Fund,” Smith said. “They could have reduced taxes or they could send the money back as a refund. They did two of those things – they sent back $90 and they did cut the income tax rate from 7.5 percent to 5 percent for individuals.”

Money, Smith said, “kept rolling in” and rather than socking it away, “they just grew programs. That’s why the budget went up 95 percent from 2004 to 2009. They kept passing and approving programs. Teacher raises, early childhood education and more.”

Smith also points to U.S. Census data that show how there has been a 5.6 percent increase in the state’s population.

“As the revenue increased, the legislature had three alternatives – increase the Rainy Day Fund,  put more money back for tough times and watch for wasteful spending, or increase programs, which is what they chose to do,” Smith said.

“Now, as revenues decrease, we’re faced with this tremendous shortfall,” Smith said. “If we’d put more money in Rainy Day Fund, and we didn’t start all these other programs, we wouldn’t be in all this trouble.”

“They expanded it to every program you can think of,” Smith said. “And as income grew for the state, expenditures per person exploded.”

And while the budget shortfall is significant, it’s better than where the state was in 2004.

“In 2004 we were somehow getting by on $5 billion,” Smith said.

Over at the Oklahoma Treasurer’s Office, Tim Allen, Deputy Treasurer, said the primary engine of the Oklahoma economy is the oil and gas industry.

“With energy prices low, that has impacted what we collect in gross production taxes,” Allen said. “And with people spending less in this economy, there in an impact on income and sales taxes.”

This, he said, “filters into other areas in revenue collections.”

And what is happening to the Oklahoma economy is “a reflection of what is going on in the overall economy.”

On the campaign trail for governor, some of the candidates are already commenting on the budgetary situation the state faces, although only one candidate replied by the time this story was published.

“Oklahoma is surely facing one of the most severe budget crises we’ve seen in recent memory,” said U.S. Rep. Mary Fallin, who is running for governor as a Republican. “The reasons for that are fairly obvious: as the national recession has eaten away at our economy and our job market, we’ve lost tax revenue; meanwhile, our budget has been growing at an unsustainable rate.”

Fallin told Oklahoma Watchdog that she would “force this state to take a hard look at its priorities and … eliminate those programs that do not provide essential services.”

Additionally, Fallin said she would “work to create the friendliest environment to business and job growth possible, so that we can create more jobs and more revenue to invest in services like education and public safety. Recruiting business and allowing the private sector to flourish — by pursuing initiatives like workers compensation reform and work force development — is essential to the health of economy, our families and our community.”

By Andrew W. Griffin

Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

Posted: March 9, 2010

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog ]]> http://oklahoma.watchdog.org/522/spending-leaves-oklahoma-broke-as-revenue-drops/feed/ 4 http://oklahoma.watchdog.org/519/zellner-thanks-supporters-following-norman-election/ http://oklahoma.watchdog.org/519/zellner-thanks-supporters-following-norman-election/#comments Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:59:37 +0000 Andrew Griffin http://oklahoma.watchdog.org/?p=519 NORMAN, Okla. — Losing the Ward 6 council election by only 30 votes (850-820) against incumbent James Griffith, a Democrat, 23-year-old Republican Matt Zellner told Oklahoma Watchdog that he “thanks all the supporters throughout the process.”

“We came up a little short,” Zellner said. “Trust me, it wasn’t for a lack of effort.”

Oklahoma Watchdog wrote about Zellner’s candidacy a week before the election.

Chalking up problems related to inclement weekend weather, Zellner said he did his best to contact every household in the ward, on Norman’s northeast side.

“It was a wonderful experience,” Zellner said of running in the election. “Months ago, coming on as an unknown … we worked reallyhard and that showed (on Election Day).”

Asked about his future political plans, Zellner said he “hasn’t thought too much about it” but that in the coming weeks and months he will talk to close friends and family about what he should do next. He said he has already received calls from supporters who want him to try for other political positions.

Quoting 2 Timothy 4:7, Zellner said he “fought the good fight, finished the race and kept the faith.”

Zellner closed the conversation by saying that he can be contacted at mzellner1@gmail.com and is happy to talk to Norman voters and engaged citizens about the city and its future.

By Andrew W. Griffin

Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

Posted: March 5, 2010

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog

Lobbying against the bill, SB 1133, are Don Mordecai and Victor Long, two representatives with the Oklahoma Association of Nurse Anesthetists. In a letter printed in The Edmond Sun, Jolley’s hometown paper, they write that this bill is not solving a problem but is, in fact, creating more problems.

Doctors often refer patients to certified nurse anesthetists. They are trained to offer treatment to those with chronic pain. As they note in the Sun piece: “The state’s 500-plus nurse anesthetists are as well-trained in pain management as general-practice physicians and are equally able to offer Oklahomans with arthritis and debilitating injury a measure of relief. Yet any physician, regardless of training, will be able to provide pain management, while nurse anesthetists will not.”

On the House side, Rep. John Trebilcock, R-Broken Arrow, authored the bill, and it’s still unclear to Oklahoma Watchdog as to what his true motivation for doing so is. Long and Mordecai suggest the bill is “a money grab in the growing field of pain management.” Regardless, Trebilcock’s bill moved ahead and was approved. Jolley took over on the Senate side and it appears to be moving ahead.

Oklahoma Watchdog has been contacted by sources who say that more investigation needs to be done in who is really benefiting from this move, which is

Of course rural Oklahoma would be seriously affected by this were it to become law. Mordecai and Long write that “Oklahomans with debilitating pain will have to drive hundreds of miles in some cases to reach the state’s population centers for treatment.” They add: “Driving to Tulsa and Oklahoma City isn’t an option for someone with chronic pain.”

And yet, nurse anesthetists are working in all of Oklahoma’s 77 counties. The services are there, near to those needing this treatment. Yet, state government wants to interfere and treat something that is not a problem. The state Board of Nursing “has no complaints against nurse anesthetists for practicing pain management.”

In The Oklahoman piece “Pain management bill draws debate in Oklahoma House” that was published Feb. 26, 2010, Trebilcock merely said in the article that: “pain medication is medicine and should be practiced by doctors” not nurse anesthetists.

And rural legislator Rep. Gus Blackwell a Panhandle Republican, said rural Oklahoma will be adversely affected if this becomes law and said it was merely a “turf war” without elaborating any further.

Trebilcock and Jolley could not be reached for comment.

We shall see where this bill ends up. Follow Oklahoma Watchdog for updates.

By Andrew W. Griffin

Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

Posted: March 5, 2010

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog

Running against Cornett was independent tea partier and anti-MAPS 3 activist Steve Hunt. Hunt, who was popular among the grassroots, and a seemingly regular voice on local talk radio, came out with a respectable 41.7 percent of the vote compared to Cornett’s 58.3 percent.

And while we could not track down information on this, local radio noted that a precinct in a small portion of Oklahoma City, which is mostly in Bethany and does not feature any Oklahoma City voters, had to be open anyway. This seems like a waste of money, since those poll workers had to be paid for sitting there waiting for voters who would never come.

And Norman City Councilman Hal Ezzell, the Republican, lost the race by 900 votes to incumbent Rosenthal. As noted in The Norman Transcript, Rosenthal admitted things got “negative” during the race. Ezzell said he ran a “positive, issue-oriented campaign.”

And in Norman’s Ward 6 race, between Democrat James Griffith and Republican Matt Zellner, (covered here by Oklahoma Watchdog) we saw Griffith re-elected by a squeaker – 850 to 820 votes. Griffith was undoubtedly sweating leading up to the final tally.

The thing about Griffith’s campaign is that the water use issue was at the forefront. The City of Norman will definitely need to address this issue in the coming years and Griffith’s intention to deal with it now makes a lot of sense.

By Andrew W. Griffin

Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

Posted: March 3, 2010

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog

This became clearly evident last Thursday on Tulsa’s Talk Radio 1170 KFAQ, featuring talk show host Pat Campbell, when  Oklahoma Republican Chairman Gary Jones took calls from listeners who were reacting to Glenn Beck’s comments about there being no difference between Republicans and Democrats at CPAC.

One of the first callers was J.B. Alexander, vice chairman of Tulsa County Republican Party, who confronted Jones on the air, saying he had said in an email that the Tea Party was a small group that was of no consequence.

Said Alexander: “Gary does not support the grassroots or the constitution-focused people in the state,” adding, “The Republican Party is split down the middle and the divide is getting even wider.”

When Campbell asked Alexander who Jones and the Oklahoma Republican Party doesn’t support, Alexander replied: “Constitution-minded people.”

Jones said he did not say that and that all ideas are welcome and that he was referring to a small group called the “Oklahoma Constitutional Alliance,” a group of 30 or so groups ranging from the Sooner Tea Party to other like-minded folks like the 9/12 groups. Oklahoma Watchdog and Red Dirt Report have covered the activities of this alliance and connected organizations.

“We’ve always allowed an open forum to discuss issues of the party,” Jones said, adding that he was referring to “the Ron Paul people, the 9/11 truthers.”

Campbell chimed in and said it is important that the Oklahoma Republican Party know “who is involved and what their agenda is.” Naturally, this makes sense when a caller identifies themselves as vice-chair of the Tulsa County Republicans and is associating with what establishment Republicans consider a more fringe element.

Jones then addressed the Tea Party movement, saying he holds a “strong position” about the tea partiers and their pro-liberty agenda.

“I believe the movement is a good movement,” added Jones.

A woman named “Rhonda,” identified as being part of the 9/12 organization, said she was unhappy with the state party’s alleged marginalization of the Oklahoma Constitutional Alliance and their views.

“We will rise up,” she roared.

This exchange made for great radio and it can be found in a series of archived podcasts at KFAQ right here.

The following morning, Campbell wondered who benefits from this alleged rift.

“The Republican Party appears to be in utter chaos,” Campbell said, adding that being associated with “kooks” like “truthers” and “birthers” and those who want to legalize marijuana, is a mistake.

“You’ve got to be very selective about who you (bring) to the table here,” Campbell said, adding that it is important to note that it was not the Republican Party that benefited from the Jones-Alexander debate.

And when Oklahoma Watchdog spoke with Gary Jones on Wednesday about this debate between Republicans, he said that he plans to go to Tulsa on Thursday and meet with the Tulsa County Republicans in an executive session. Among his concerns is that they are calling for candidates to agree “100 percent” on stances by certain groups and they are allowing a building subsidized by the state party to be used to train OCA activists.

“We’re going to find out what they’re going to do,” Jones said when he attends the meeting. “They’re listed as a member of this organization (Oklahoma Constitutional Alliance.” For the party to become a member of a group that pick and choose candidates in primaries. They can’t do that. There are some organizations some Republicans wouldn’t want to be associated with,” Jones said.

More on this in coming days.

By Andrew W. Griffin

Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

Posted: March 3, 2010

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog

OKLAHOMA CITY – While the vote may be not be until November, State Question 744, which will be facing Oklahoma voters on their ballots, is already being scrutinized by government watchdog organizations, like Oklahomans for Responsible Government, based  here in Oklahoma City.

Brian Downs, executive director of OFRG spoke to Oklahoma Watchdog recently about the impact SQ 744 would have if it is approved by voters.

“State Question 744 is about increasing the amount of money we spend per student in Oklahoma,” Downs said, adding that it would bring us to the regional average. Specifically, states bordering Oklahoma. “It would increase our spending up to that average.”

Downs said that the Oklahoma Education Association, the teacher’s union that is pushing for this initiative, says SQ 744 would cost “$850 million more in education spending.”

“They have no idea on how to fund it, no revenue stream and no idea on how to distribute it if it passes,” Downs said, noting that there are more than 530 school districts in the state.

Downs said that House Fiscal staff have studied the effects of SQ 744 and what it would mean for the state budget. He said they found that with it costing upwards of $850 million would mean a 20 percent across the board cut for each state agency. This, for instance, would mean everything from 8,400 criminals let loose from prisons to higher tuition for Higher Education to $395 million being cut from the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.

And that’s just scratching the surface, he said.

“Our concern is that the money will not go to the classroom,” Downs said.

Downs said that in 2004,  during the push for the Oklahoma lottery, that this would be “end all be all for education in Oklahoma,” paraphrasing what pro-lottery proponents like Gov. Henry said at the time.

Unimpressed with the money raised for education, Downs said the lottery has not been all that impressive in getting money for education.

“Four full years later the average is $50 per student,” he said. “That’s half the cost of one textbook.”

Comparing Kansas to Oklahoma, Downs pulls out some information compiled by the group Americans for Prosperity, and shows how spending on education in Kansas for the past decade has gone up 40 percent but reading and math scores have remained the same.

Pushing SQ 744 is the Oklahoma Education Association, Downs said.

Becky Felts, OEA’s president, explained to Oklahoma Watchdog that if passed, this constitutional amendment would require the legislature to “follow the will of the people.”

“If the people say that education is a priority, we are hoping it will lead to a call for raising the per-pupil expenditure, which is the lowest in the region, to the regional average,” Felts said, adding, “We are standing up for the needs of public schools.”

Asked about the cuts that would occur if SQ 744 became law, Felts replied, “The belief of the members of OEA is that if we make education a priority, we will improve the economy of Oklahoma. That will be a long term solution to all thee economic difficulties.”

Felts said there would be “transparency and accountability,” since the language in SQ 744 requires it.

“You will hear the people say education is a priority,” Felts said. “But when push comes to shove that’s not happening. People need to stand up and say, yes, education truly is a priority.”

Added Felts: “The boys and girls in Oklahoma deserve as much of an opportunity for a good education as kids in Arkansas and Texas and other states in our region.”

“It won’t be easy to defeat,” Downs said, adding, “It’s not about going against education, it’s about the process of getting money.”

And while the OEA is in support, everyone from Gov. Brad Henry to Attorney General Drew Edmondson – both education-supporting Democrats – are on the record not in favor of SQ 744.

In fact, when contacted, Sen. Andrew Rice (D-Oklahoma City), told Oklahoma Watchdog that he is coming out against SQ 744 because “it ties the hands of the legislature with a statistical mandate.”

And Rice isn’t alone in the legislature on this issue, Downs said, noting other strong, pro-education legislators who have expressed concern about SQ 744.

“When people learn that, their reaction is one of shock,” Downs said when people learn some heavy-hitters have real concerns about SQ 744.

“It’s because they know the effects of it,” added Downs. “And the legislators don’t like having the power taken from out of the hands of the legislature, which is what this would do.”

Downs and his team at OFRG will continue to spread the word before groups and via their website www.ofrg.org

“We think it’s important to get out and educate people out across Oklahoma,” Downs said. “We know this will be the most important vote they will cast in November.”

For more information go to www.stop744.com.

By Andrew W. Griffin

Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

Posted: March 3, 2010

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog

Billy was quoted as saying: “The bill is necessary to provide women all of the information before they make an irrevocable decision. This bill actually provides her a choice – she does not have to view that screen.”

That there were even seven legislators who were against this is surprising. Naturally, the local ACLU spokesperson, Tamya Cox, brayed that HB 2780 is an “unnecessary, intrusive bill” and that it is intended to “intimidate, frighten and discourage women from pretty much exercising their constitutional right.”

Yes, they have the “right” to seek an abortion. But why would Cox be against a woman having all the facts before, as Billy said, makes that “irrevocable” decision.

Interestingly, if it is passed by the Senate and becomes law, fines could be issued and a physician’s license could be revoked if the abortionist doesn’t offer a “simultaneous explanation of what the ultrasound is depicting.” Additionally, the woman must sign a statement saying the ultrasound and explanation were offered to her. That info must be kept in the woman’s files for seven years.

Should the state require that? Well, state-sanctioned killings are allowed, so this is merely offering the other side and giving the woman a real choice before getting an abortion. That is what is so surprising about Cox and the ACLU’s reaction. It offers a real choice and that makes sense.

By Andrew W. Griffin

Oklahoma Watchdog, editor

Posted: March 3, 2010

andrew@oklahomawatchdog.org

Copyright 2010 Oklahoma Watchdog