State Government





Forty modernization proposals win approval

Last week presented the first major legislative deadline. Proposals which didn’t receive committee approval by last Thursday are no longer eligible for additional consideration.


Giving up power

As a Guthrie City Councilman, I participated in the important process of hiring a City Manager. As councilpersons we knew this was one of our…




160 million from thin air

I have seen some rather shocking decision-making process abuses in my time as a legislator and my observations have easily confirmed the famous Calvin Coolidge…




The defeat of the special interests

Throughout the past few weeks I have described the successful passage of Senate Bill 630 to stop governments such as cities and school districts from…



The most unscrupulous lobbying technique

Last week I described the abuse by which various area government entities have been designing construction specifications so as to limit competition and award a…


An example of legalized corruption

Almost one year ago, Senator Clark Jolley asked me to assist him in bringing an end to what appeared to be a practice of legalized…



The first real black Friday in Oklahoma

In past years I was the recipient of frustrated correspondence from the local constituency. Oklahoma residents were being denied access to Black Friday sale items…


It is time to modernize county government

Next month I will chair a legislative hearing convened to consider the training qualifications of county officials. The hearing was requested by State Representative Marty…



Where does all of the lottery money go

On multiple occasions, a member of the House District 31 constituency inquires about the impact upon common education of Oklahoma lottery proceeds. Many believed that…