The publishers of the Oklahoma Constitution have been indexing the key votes of the 149 state legislators for about 30 years. But many long-time subscribers say that this year's legislature is probably the least conservative in well more a decade. The oddity is that Republicans have overwhelming majorities in both houses. This group of Democrats strangely voted in opposition to tax increases that the Republican leadership repeatedly attempted to push through.

  This last winter we saw a massive number of freshmen elected to the House. After such promising campaign rhetoric and lofty platitudes, the reality hit in May. That's when nearly all of the freshmen ate the forbidden fruit en-masse and were drawn into the Lincoln boulevard swamp of believing what the agencies, governor, and house leadership had spent 3 months subliminally pressing into their consciousness.

  The alternative camp for fiscal and social conservatives was the newly formed Platform Caucus. This group of at least a dozen are holding each other to accountability for fidelity to the Republican principles.

Some freshmen are making a move back away from the tax, tax, tax solution. Part of that could be that grassroots groups did single them out for condemnation....

  Frustrated with the lack of real legislative priority on cutting wasteful spending during a special session  budgeting crisis, Rep. Rick West(R-Heavener) held an interim study at the state capitol, today. His crusade to attack govt. waste began with exposing the absurd regulations which come from within the capitol building, itself.
  West will be continuing this process and presenting legislation as his research warrants statutory reforms.
​  Here's his press release from today's testimony, at the capitol.  Rep West bills himself as a fiscal conservative and his conservative index score supports that claim.

  Oklahomans with insight to a particular wasteful policy or practice are encouraged to contact the representative's office.   (405) 557-7413

  After patching a financial disaster of their own making, the Oklahoma legislature is observing the scandal of Terry Cline's mismanagement of the dept. of Health.
  Cline has survived 3 administrations and managed to keep getting top appointments from governors and agency boards.
  But his fiscal sloppiness finally caught up with him.  He quickly submitted his resignation and the board of the state health dept. quickly accepted it.

  Without missing a beat, Preston Doerflinger jumped at the opportunity to diversify his portfolio and land a more stable position than the OMES (a position which will end when a new governor is selected in a year). This gives Doerflinger some protection because the legislature killed a reform which would have allowed the governor to step in and make a replacement.
  The legislature further contributed to the problems over several years by not conducting a rigorous rotation of State Performance Audits. To their credit, the legislature recently created their own commission and mandated that the top 20 agencies in the state go through a State Performance Audit  by the legislative commission.

  To meet a short-term budget problem, our Republican Governor, House and Senate Legislatures proposed massive, permanent, tax increases on services, gasoline, tobacco, oil and utilities. They dismiss proposals to reduce spending. Meanwhile, our State Treasurer announced in September that, “Gross receipts from the past 12 months…are more than those of the prior 12 months by 2.3 percent, or just over $250 million.” The revenue crisis has passed, but officials still want to raise taxes.
  The insistence on increasing taxes is splitting the Party and damaging the Oklahoma Republican brand. I talk to Republicans daily, knock on doors for our Republican candidates running in special elections and frequently consult with elected officials at the local and state levels. Oklahoma Republican voters are dismayed at this fixation on tax increases.

Never Believe That State Government Needs More of Your Money

10.30.2017

It is a very old story and I have heard it repeated many times. It seems that legislators cannot hold a budget hearing or meet with representatives of state government agencies without being subjected to a long and nuanced description of the agency's great financial needs.

Government agencies don't have to compete for business in the free market. They exist regardless of the quality of service they provide. 

Unlike the private businessman who knows he must drive down costs and improve the quality of his product in order to earn more money, the government official mostly earns money simply by convincing voters and policymakers to give it to him.

Those in the arena of public policy are constantly subjected to the unending refrain of, "Give us more money or all types of armageddon-type scenarios will inevitably occur."

Too often, the weak-minded policy maker acquiesces and accepts the overstated demands at face value. 

Worse, many times he doesn't just acquiesce, but actually becomes a co-opted agent for the very bureaucracy to which he was commissioned by the people of Oklahoma to be the check and balance. 

  The 3 members of the Oklahoma County Commission are refusing to allow the Federal Justice Dept. entry into the Oklahoma County Jail.
  The legal showdown stems from a 2009 legal settlement with the federal govt. over the conditions of the deadliest county jail in the nation.
  The building is continually overcrowded and several legal suits are pending in district court, on behalf of inmates who are dead or severely disabled as a result of the conditions and management.

Nolan Clay reports in the Oklahoman;
"Oklahoma County commissioners voted unanimously this month to deny the inspection request, despite the risk that refusal could lead to a costly federal lawsuit."

"I feel like we've done everything that we could do within our power," said Brian Maughan, chairman of the Board of County Commissioners. "I feel like we have satisfied most of their concerns and we should be given recognition for that."
"Attorneys from the Justice Department's civil rights division had asked to tour the jail Nov. 6-10 with their expert consultants "to assess compliance" with a 2009 agreement to improve conditions.The Oklahoman reports in further detail."

​  As a former state senator with eight years of conservative credentials, I’m appalled with the shenanigans of the Republican leadership in the Oklahoma legislature. They are anything but conservative. As a matter of fact I would classify them as destructive. 
​
  Last Saturday, Sen. Treat started his press conference quoting Matthew 5:37. “Let your yes be yes and your no be no.” Then he proceeded to condemn those conservative members who did just that. Some conservative Republicans said they would vote NO on tax increases and then actually voted NO.
 
  He went on to say he was disgusted because of the lack of compromise. He was referring to those members who refused to vote yes on tax increases even though they campaigned against tax increases. He and the other members of leadership refuse to cut spending to balance the budget. Rather, the entire regular and special session has been dedicated to try and increase a cadre of taxes; even knowingly unconstitutional ones.

  As our pop culture goes into Halloween mode for a few more days, we will see a fantasy play out. It includes zombies and the "walking dead". But there is a less-hip manifestation of incoherent people roaming the streets. They are the homeless mentally ill who live in a dark world of psychosis. 
  Many of them can be helped. But it takes a level of compassion and ambition from society.  Masses of Americans will spend significant money to complete their favorite costume for  the Halloween festivities. Some of us are donating a commensurate amount to the local homeless ministries who are impacting the lives of those who suffer mental illness on the streets. That's not to say all the homeless are ill.
  It's cold outside.  A few years ago my son befriended a homeless orphan who was in foster care until his 18th birthday. Then young 'Micky' was dumped by the state and his untreated mental illness led to a paranoia which kept many people from helping him.
​  I built a tiny shelter for him and dropped it off one cold October evening, near the cardboard box Micky was sleeping in. That led to increased trust and more people helping him. Eventually, the Department of Mental Health helped him (through one of their contractor agencies). Micky soon moved into a room they provided. He got minimal healthcare and some treatment for his condition. That same state mental health contractor hired him to maintain the residential complex and his life was progressively enriched in many ways. 
  The local agency helped him reconnect with distant relatives and Micky eventually moved to another state where his relatives could provide that intangible support which no govt. or healthcare professional could.

  There is a State Performance Audit which is usually conducted by the office of the Auditor & Inspector. It studies the flow of resources and identifies inefficiencies, as well as pointing out where accountability is lacking.
 State Auditor, Gary Jones can define what a performance audit does better than I can. But the important thing it does is give the taxpayers a confidence that their hard-earned tax dollar is well managed.
​   If we follow a rigorous schedule of State Performance Audits, we will have less resistance from voters when a real need for increase does exist.

​​Agencies will say; "Oh, we do an audit every year."
But they generally only do an in-house balancing of a checkbook.

  One Oklahoman who is eternally grateful to have his life & health back; wanted me to share his message. He represents tens of thousands of your neighbors, co-workers, relatives, and fellow taxpayers.
Steve Boyer is a life rescued and repaired. He is now a tax-paying citizen who specializes in rescuing others who are just like him.

Editor's note:

  The senate adjourned Thursday, expecting that the House would have a solution by Saturday morning. When Saturday came, their was nothing in the 'IN' box. So senators were told to "stay home and see your families".  But Sen. Greg Treat was not going to shut up. 

 "I, like a lot of Oklahomans, am disgusted... this is not the student council. Real lives are going to be impacted."

  As for Speaker Charles McCall; his lack of action is very puzzling. The speaker & Speaker Pro Tempor are ex officio voting members that can participate in any committee vote. Neither of them did.

• When Friday afternoon JCAB convened, Speaker McCall was absent from the press.
• When the meltdown happened in Friday's JCAB over a bipartisan compromise occurred, McCall did not step in to vote to move the bill to the whole house.
• McCall did not release a statement or convene a 'presser' after the Friday JCAB mess.
• When the Saturday floor calendar needed an agenda for this morning's session, McCall ignored the emergency funding which JCAB passed on Thursday, and so 100 House members were called in for nothing.  
• When Senator Treat ripped into the whole House institution, McCall did not respond. Instead, Majority Floor Leader, Jon Echols fielded the heat and took the issues.

​ It's time to start talking about some stuff that can pass,"
said House Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City.

  Randy Krehbiel of the Tulsa World was ready to bring us coverage of the proceedings.
​  The constitution requires that revenue bill originate in the House. They have not passed any such bills for the senate to act upon. Neither has the House taken a floor vote on measures to transfer funds to agencies which will otherwise begin shutting down services on Tuesday.

  The Senate hoped to have something to approve, today; to send on to the governor for signing. Such is not the case.

 The House just gaveled in & out without taking any floor votes. the emergency funding transfer bill is ready for unanimous approval, but it's being held hostage so proponents can leverage other agenda items. Monday afternoon is the next time they assemble.
  As Rahm Emanuel said; "Never let a good crisis go to waste."

  A legislator said that the two chambers are reeling at the bad reactions they are getting from back home in their districts.
  Some of those who voted for tax hikes in May, are having second thoughts in October.
   One legislator said that many of his colleagues are just now finding out that they tested positive for the 'RINO-virus'.
  The SoonerPoll came out with even more damaging news that a super-majority of Oklahomans don't like them.

 Bill Shappard of SoonerPoll released the findings of a motor fuel survey. KOTV & KWTV commissioned SoonerPoll to find out of Oklahomans support the idea.
 
​They don't.

 The passionate opponents outnumber the passionate supporters by a 5 to 2 margin.
Read the full results at SoonerPoll or KOTV