PASSING THE BATON!

Once again, it appears a Stephens County elected official will resign mid-term and let the County Commissioners appoint their replacement. Connie Elam, a Democrat, has served as Stephens County Court Clerk since 2003 when Priscilla Harper resigned mid-term and she was appointed by the County Commissioners. Elam did not have an opponent in 2008.

In the Duncan Banner article announcing her ‘retirement,’ Elam said they had been ‘cross-training’ in the Clerk’s office to insure a smooth transition. That’s code for "my Chief Deputy will be given the job. "

This practice is not just confined to Stephens County. This has been a trend in county government throughout the state of Oklahoma. An elected official retires before their term expires and their top aide is appointed to complete the term. They run as an ‘incumbent,’ with their own little band of campaign volunteers- the office staff. The staff have some ‘skin in the game,’ because they serve ‘at will’ so their job is on the line. The advantage of incumbency is huge! Incumbents win about 98% of the time.

I believe elected officials at all levels should complete their terms- whether it be in office or in prison! When you quit, you lose creditability. Governor Sarah Palin should never have quit mid-term. That shows a lack of character and commitment. To quote Winston Churchill, “Never, Never, Never Give Up!”

An elected official at all levels should complete their term and then let the voters decide who their replacement will be. Former County Commissioner Frank Kelly did that in 2008 and the general election was decided by less than 100 votes. Kelly did the honorable thing- he let the voters pick his replacement.

If the three Stephens County Commissioners appoint a Court Clerk replacement, you can bet it will not be a Republican. They are all Democrats.

The State legislature should consider a bill that would require a special election be called by the County Commissioners within 90 days of the retirement, death, or resignation of a county elected official. This ‘passing the baton’ by county elected officials reeks of good ole boy politics and deprives voters of the right to select our county officials.

Weekly Opinion Editorial

PUT UP OR SHUT UP!

by Steve Fair

On Monday February 6th, Oklahoma Republicans will hold precinct meetings across the state. Precinct meetings start the process for the selection of delegates to the various Republican conventions this year-county, district, state, and national. At the precinct meetings, participants will vote on how their delegation will be seated at their county convention- either as an open or closed. They will also discuss how they can build their precinct organization, get out the vote in elections and submit platform resolutions to be considered at the county convention.

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The purpose of the County GOP Convention is to determine how the county delegation will be seated at the 4th district GOP convention on April 21st in Pauls Valley and at the State GOP convention May 12th in Norman. Delegates to the county convention will consider platform resolutions from the precinct meetings and select representatives for the Rules and Credentials committees for the district and state conventions. Delegates will also select two representatives to serve on the state Platform committee for the state convention. The Republican Party considers a State & National Platform every four years.
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The state and national Republican platforms start with resolutions passed at the precinct level. In the past eight years, several resolutions from Stephens County have made it into the state GOP platform and two have made it into the national Republican platform.
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The purpose of the district convention is to elect three national delegates to the Republican National Convention in Tampa. Oklahoma has 43 national delegates in 2012. Fifteen will be chosen at district level and twenty five additional delegates will be elected at the state convention. The three members of the Republican National Committee are automatically national delegates.
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These are busy times we live in, but it’s critical that more people start paying attention to what is going on in their government. Here are three reasons registered Republicans in Oklahoma should attend their precinct meetings/county conventions in 2012:
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First, it’s time to put up or shut up! I realize that sounds harsh, but this is your wake up call. There are a lot of people who want to complain about what is wrong with politics and our government, but are unwilling to make the long term commitment to changing America. If they don’t engage this year, it may be too late next year. With our economy in shambles and the two major parties solution to the problems completely opposite, it’s time to stop talking and get involved. If conservatives want change, they better take it to the next level by not just voting, but by becoming educated on the political process and the issues. That means spending some time at political events and becoming engaged in the process.
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Second, lasting change always comes from the grassroots. The reason America is in this mess is because Americans for years have based their voting decisions on some talking head’s opinion or a slick TV ad and not on the facts. Until Americans start taking equity in their government all the time, we will get what we deserve. If people paid attention to what is going on all the time, the effectiveness of misleading ads and spin doctors would be negated. Wide-spread involvement would take money out of the political process. It will force an elected official to pay more attention to their local constituency and less attention to special interests.
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Third, getting engaged in your government is not an option for citizens- it is mandatory! If we are to expect America to survive, you can’t just show up and vote- you have to educate yourselves on what the vote is about. You have to vote with your head and not your heart. You have to study the issues and find out where candidates stand on those issues. You have to hold elected officials accountable when they veer off the reservation.
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The process starts at the local level. Everyone is aware of who is running for President, but few pay attention to municipal and school board races? Those local elected officials make decisions that impact your everyday life often more than the President, yet few people participate in the local process.
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A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. The precinct meetings are the first step on your changing America journey. If you will not get involved for yourself, do it for your kids and grandkids
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In many rural counties across the state, the precinct meetings and county conventions are combined for convenience. That is the case in Stephens County. On Monday February 6th, the Stephens County GOP will meet in the Stephens County Fairgrounds Territory Room at 7pm. After a brief opening, precinct meetings will convene. After the precinct business is conducted, there will be a short break and then we will reconvene for our County Convention.

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For information on the location of your precinct meetings and county conventions to go http://www.okgop.com/ or call 405.528.3501.

Weekly Opinion EditorialLEAVE INCOME TAX INTACT!
by Steve Fair

State Representative Randy McDaniel, (R-OKC), who is chairman of the House Pension Oversight Committee, has announced he intends to run a Joint Resolution/Legislative Referendum in the upcoming legislative session. If approved by the legislature, it would place a state question on the ballot in November. If voters approve McDaniel’s proposal it would amend the state constitution to require more accountability in future government pension system decisions. “The constitutional amendment contains the fundamental principles of proper pension oversight. We need a higher law that takes into consideration the future generations of Oklahomans,” McDaniel said.

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Last year, the legislature tackled Oklahoma’s unfunded pension issues by dealing with the teachers, state employees and judiciary pensions. This year they will try to improve the stability of the firefighter and law enforcement systems.

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“The goal is to put all our systems on a sustainable path, which would be a notable accomplishment for public workers and taxpayers alike. We have negotiated with representatives from both the firefighter and law enforcement organizations. I think we have come to an agreement that is fair to our public safety employees and fair to taxpayers,” McDaniel, R-Oklahoma City, said. “Employees and employers will both pay a little more into the system in order to ensure the pension plans are financially strong over the long run.”
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McDaniel’s proposed constitutional amendment has four tenets: (1) Protect plan assets by prohibiting diversion of pension funds to other uses; (2) Institute a prudent investor rule to ensure wise investments of pension funds; (3) Reduce future debts by directing adequate funding to pension systems; (4) Require funding standards and practices to be established before additional benefits are authorized. McDaniel’s proposed amendment is needed for the future, but that still leaves the underfunding issue unresolved.

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Make no mistake- Oklahoma’s unfunded pensions are a problem. Oklahoma Council of Public Affair’s Steve Anderson wrote an article back in October 2010 entitled, “The Coming Explosion of Oklahoma’s Pension Bomb.” http://www.ocpathink.org/articles/274.%20%20Anderson which correctly pointed out the unfunded pension issue was one that could bankrupt Oklahoma government in the next few years if it wasn’t dealt with.

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In a March 2011 article (http://www.ocpathink.org/articles/953), the OCPA pointed out Moodys(the bond rating company) was using the state government’s unfunded pensions as a factor in calculating Oklahoma’s credit rating- and not in a good way They pointed out that Oklahoma state government’s ‘debt load’ was substantially higher as a percent of GDP than neighboring states and the national average.

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We got to this point because past Oklahoma legislatures were reckless and irresponsible when they promised benefits to teachers and state employees and then didn’t fund them.

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It is important to understand the current Republican led legislature didn’t create this pension crisis- they inherited it. That said, the way they fix the pension systems is important.
Currently, there is a lot of talk about phasing out Oklahoma’s state income tax. Several Republican legislators are planning to introduce bills in the next session to phase out the state income tax over the next decade. They claim eliminating the state income tax would help recruit jobs and industry to Oklahoma, but before elimination of the state income tax happens, it should be carefully vetted.
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For example, currently the teacher’s pension system, the state’s largest system, gets five (5) percent of the state income tax. If the income tax is eliminated, how will the teacher’s system get funded? That is something that has not been addressed.

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Oklahoma’s individual state income tax is 5.5%. It represents about 20% of state government revenue- second only to state sales tax. Phasing out this revenue stream and letting Oklahomans keep more of their own money is a good thing and would result in economical growth in the state. But it’s not the phasing out of the state income tax that worries me; it’s how the legislature will deal with the possible loss of revenue. Will they hide taxes and fees or will they cut government in direct proportion to the loss of revenue. The second action is not a normal characteristic of government.

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I understand supply side economics and believe in the Laffer curve. It is likely the growth projections are feasible, but it’s still a risk to state government (and taxpayers) to eliminate the state income tax without a fail safe plan. If projections fell short, what would state government do?

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A more prudent plan would be one that reduces state government spending in direct proportion to the amount of revenue lost by the phasing out of the state income tax. Until that is done leave the state income tax intact.

Weekly Opinion EditorialCRIME IN OKLAHOMA
by Steve Fair

Last week a bipartisan group of Oklahoma leaders released a report with ideas they claim will reduce violent crime in Oklahoma by ten percent in the next five years. The report recommendations fell under three categories: fight crime and enhance public safety, increase supervision and contain prison costs. The twenty member group recommended the following be done in the Sooner state to reduce crime:

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· Help local law enforcement prevent violent crime with state grant funding for technology, overtime, crime analysis, and community partnerships. Unstable funding and increased demand has forced many agencies to simply triage calls for service rather than working proactively to prevent crime.

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· Require supervision for all felony offenders following their prison sentences. Currently, 51 percent of people exiting prison do so with no supervision.

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· Increase availability of substance abuse treatment. There is inadequate access to programs for people on supervision who are determined to be at a high-risk of reoffending and who have acute substance abuse problems.

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· Improve support provided to crime victims and witnesses through district attorneys’ offices. Victim-witness coordinators are key service providers that assist crime victims through the judicial process, but fluctuations in federal funding and local cuts have strained capacity in some jurisdictions.

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House Speaker Kris Steele, (R-Shawnee), who co-chaired the Oklahoma’s Justice Reinvestment Working Group, plans to carry legislation next session based on the group’s findings.

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The report is a product of the Justice Reinvestment Initiative, a data-driven analysis of the state’s criminal justice system led by the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center The CSG is a national nonprofit organization that serves policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels. Justin Jones, Oklahoma’s Department of Corrections Director, is on CSG’s board of directors. You can read more about this group at http://justicereinvestment.org/

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Governor Mary Fallin was among the state leaders who requested that Oklahoma conduct a justice reinvestment analysis of its criminal justice system.“Increasing public safety is a top priority of this administration. Protecting our citizens and keeping Oklahoma safe is a core function of government and a key component to bringing growth, jobs and families to Oklahoma. For that reason, I am looking forward to reviewing the report and seeing what policy recommendations come out of it,” Fallin said.
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First, Oklahoma prisons are overcrowded and a large majority of those in the prison system are non-violent. Oklahoma leads the nation in the percentage of females incarcerated and rank fourth in the number of males in prison per capita. According to the Oklahoma DOC, a total of 24,000 people are currently housed in Oklahoma’s twelve prison facilities. It makes little sense to feed, cloth and provide health care for years to inmates who are able bodied and pose no violent threat to the general public. The DOC says the average cost of incarceration for one offender per year is $16,539. That said, lawbreakers should pay their debt to society. If we can have them pay their debt to by busting rocks while incarcerated or by making restitution under supervision, that seems prudent. It was very disturbing to learn that over half of the felons released on parole go unsupervised. That must be improved.
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Second, the recommendation to help addicts get off dope is a worthy goal, but getting them off and keeping them off are two different things. Oklahoma taxpayers have spent millions on a number of rehabilitation programs through the years and yet drug use in the state continues to climb. Violent crimes associated with drug use are at an all time high. Until state government recognizes the real problem is not physiological, but spiritual, these rehab programs will fail. The most successful drug prevention programs are ones ran by churches and faith based organizations because they deal with the root problem- the heart. Oklahoma state government should partner with them to help addicts. That would be a good spend of taxpayer dollars.
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One of the proponents of prison reform in Oklahoma is the liberal Kaiser Foundation. They have invested $2.6 million in a program to help women in Oklahoma. Women who face prison time can go through an intense, year long program that provides therapy, parenting skills, sober housing, reunification with children and drug/alcohol treatment.
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Reduction of crime in our state can only be achieved by a change of behavior sparked by a change of the heart. No government program can do that- only God can change a heart. Until state leaders recognize that fact, this will be just another waste of taxpayer dollars.

Weekly Opinion Editorial

EXPAND AUDITOR’S REACH!
by Steve Fair

In a poll conducted by Soonerpoll.com last month, seventy five percent of Oklahoma voters believe the Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector should have the authority to conduct performance audits on state agencies. Currently the State Auditor can only conduct an audit if the Governor, legislature or the agency director requests it. You can read the entire report on the poll at http://soonerpoll.com/legislation-to-give-auditor-authority-to-initiate-audits-popular-with-likely-voters/

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Last week, State Representative Jason Murphy, (R-Guthrie), Chairman of the House Government Modernization Committee, said he plans to introduce a Joint Resolution in the next legislative session which would place a state question on the November 2012 ballot amending the State Constitution to allow for the State Auditor to have that authority.

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“It is vital for the State Auditor to have the tools to thoroughly expose the inefficient and antiquated processes that are conducive to wasting taxpayer funds and corruption,” Murphey said. “Current policy subjects the ability of the Auditor to conduct performance audits to the whims of state politicians or the very bureaucrats who are being audited. This proposal will allow the Auditor to make the decision to audit based on need, not on political influence, funding or bureaucratic resistance.”

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First, it seems perfectly logical the Oklahoma State Auditor should have the authority to audit any Oklahoma state agency, entity or organization that receives taxpayer money. The Auditor’s office should also be able to audit any group benefits from a state tax credit. Actually it is surprising only 75% of Oklahoma voters agreed with that premise. If the proposal to expand the scope of the auditor’s office reaches Oklahoma voters next year, it will pass overwhelmingly.

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Second, it seems ridiculous that we have a system that allows state agencies to decide whether or not they want to be audited. Currently state agencies have ‘internal’ auditors who report to the agency head. That violates any general accepted accounting practice. An auditor must maintain independence (in fact and appearance) in all matters related to the audit.

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Most privately held companies hire external audit firms to look at their financial records to receive an objective assessment. Public companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States are subject to the Sarbanes- Oxley Act (SOX) which imposes stringent requirements that those companies have ‘external’ auditors evaluate their internal controls and financial reporting. For state agencies to not be as accountable as publicly traded companies is ludicrous. Taxpayers have a right to know where and how their money is being spent.

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Third, those critical of making the Auditor’s office more powerful believe it is growing government. That is true- expanding the role of the Auditor’s office will necessitate a larger staff and budget for the agency. But if we truly want accountability of our state tax dollars, this is the right thing to do. Agency heads who oppose expanding the Auditor’s scope and responsibility should explain their reasoning. It raises a red flag when a state agency head doesn’t want outside eyes looking at their books.

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In years past, the Oklahoma State Auditor’s office has uncovered hundreds of millions of fraud and corruption in local and state government. In 1980, Tom Daxon was the first Republican to be elected State Auditor in Oklahoma. Daxon cooperated with the FBI in 1981 in its probe of Oklahoma county commissioners. By the end of the federal investigation in 1984, more than 200 people (mostly county commissioners) from 60 of Oklahoma's 77 counties had been convicted of crimes. Most were convicted of taking kickbacks paid by suppliers on orders for county road-building supplies. More than 70 sitting commissioners had to resign in connection with the probe. 69 of Oklahoma’s 77 counties had commissioners resign in the wake of the probe, and 13 counties lost all three of their commissioners in connection with the scandal. There are dozens of other examples of fraud and corruption the Auditor’s office- under both Republican and Democrat leadership- has uncovered through the years.

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Expansion of the duties and authority of the Oklahoma State Auditor’s office is not a Republican or Democrat issue. It is a prudent common sense move that will insure Oklahoma tax dollars are being spent where and how they are supposed to be.

Weekly Opinion Editorial

TAXPAYER ABUSE!
by Steve Fair

Last week, the Oklahoma Contingency Review Board amended and then approved a settlement agreement in a federal lawsuit brought against the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) by a New York based child advocacy group. The three member contingency board consists of the Governor, the Speaker of the House and the Senate President Pro Temp. For the settlement to be binding, the DHS Commissioners must still approve the amended settlement.

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"We take an important step to move forward to get this lawsuit behind us so we can start with the improvements, taking care of our Department of Human Services and our children of state of Oklahoma," Governor Mary Fallin said.

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Oklahoma House Speaker Kris Steele, (R-Shawnee), said "This is a golden opportunity to improve the agency under Oklahoma's terms instead of a court's terms. I'd like to thank Attorney General Pruitt and our DHS commissioners for their leadership in steering this process to a path that is truly in the best interest of Oklahoma, its taxpayers and its vulnerable citizens."

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Senate Pro Temp Brian Bingman, (R-Sapulpa) said, “There is no obligation we ought to take more seriously than the responsibility to protect the most vulnerable among us - particularly children in heartbreaking situations beyond their control. The most important thing in this settlement agreement is a focus on improving the quality of services provided for the children of Oklahoma. "
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But the organization that filed the suit back in February 2008 said the amended settlement was ‘surprising and disappointing’ and has not agreed to the settlement yet. If the suit is not settled, it is scheduled for a non-jury trial on February 21, 2012.
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In the suit filed by ‘The Children’s Rights’ organization, they allege the Oklahoma DHS violated the constitutional rights of more than 10,000 children living in Oklahoma’s child welfare system by routinely placing them in unsafe, unsupervised and unstable living situations, where they are frequently subjected to further maltreatment and deterioration while in state custody.
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According to their website, the Children’s Rights group was founded by Marcia Robinson Lowry, who says she has been a leading voice on civil rights and child welfare issues nationally for more than 35 years. Children’s Rights began as a project of the New York Civil Liberties Union and, later, the American Civil Liberties Union. The group has successfully won similar federal class action lawsuits in twelve states. You can read more about Children's Rights at http://www.childrensrights.org/
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Jerry Fent, an Oklahoma City attorney has filed a lawsuit challenging the Contingency Review Board’s authority to approve expenditures because two of its members are legislators and therefore the board is violating the state constitution concerning separation of power. Fent has been successful in two previous challenges to the board’s authority.
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Oklahoma taxpayers have already been out over 7 million dollars defending this suit according to DHS Director Howard Hedrick. Now it appears taxpayers will be out even more money to settle a lawsuit that will not guarantee future protection for children in DHS custody.

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Three comments concerning this issue:
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First, DHS can’t provide a guarantee that a child placed in a foster home will not be harmed. No one can do that. To expect otherwise is ridiculous. Blaming DHS for abuse committed by evil people is unfair. Hindsight is always 20/20, but a judge or caseworker can only make a judgment call with the information they have at the time. The abuse has primarily been at the hands of family or by wicked people who fooled DHS caseworkers into thinking they would lovingly care for a child. Perhaps some misjudgments were made by DHS staff, however don’t lose sight of the fact the abuse was not committed by the DHS, but by evil people.
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Second, the Children’s Rights organization could care less about children. Their mission is clear- they fund a large liberal organization by suing states and getting government leaders to pay settlements by using intimation tactics. If Children’s Rights cared a rip about Oklahoma kids, they wouldn’t saddle parents in our state with increased taxes to pay off lawsuits. Not one dime of the $7 million of taxpayers dollars DHS has spent defending this suit went to helping children- it went to lawyers.
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Third, DHS needs reform. It is a behemoth organization. Oklahoma DHS is the state’s largest employer. It has an annual budget of over $2 billion and staff totaling over 7,500. DHS is responsible for providing help to individuals and families in need through public assistance programs and managing services for seniors and people with disabilities. In addition, they handle child care services and administer several federal welfare programs. They have a function, but their whole structure and mission should be examined to insure effectiveness and efficiency.

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No one excuses child abuse, but this lawsuit will do nothing to protect Oklahoma children in the future. It is nothing short of taxpayer abuse!