Local State Representative wins technology award
Oklahoma State Representative Jason Murphey has been designated as one of Government Technology magazine’s top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers for his work to apply…
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…
Spiking the Electoral College with a free trip to St. Croix
Last week the Oklahoma Senate stunned many Oklahomans by approving a proposal to counteract part of the constitutional principle of states’ rights. When the founding…
Maybe the legislature should not consider policy bills next year
Last week I wrote that it should be the goal of the Legislature to reduce the number of laws. Over the years, the number of…
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 subsiding flood of big government spending
Those who have lived on the west side of Guthrie are skilled at recognizing the signs of subsiding flood waters from the periodic flooding of…
Incumbents benefit from occasional conversion experience
It is now officially election year. In just a few weeks, candidates for office will file for a host of state and county offices.
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 dark strategies of the most powerful lobbyists
This year Governor Fallin signed SB 630 to close down the wasteful practice of sole specing. Those who make money from sole specing didn’t appear…
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 Parallel Counterpart to HealthCare.gov
This year I have witnessed the quickest deployment and implementation of a major state governmental process that I have ever seen. I think this success…
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…
The rest of the story about the big pay hikes
Oklahomans are shocked and disappointed as press accounts describe massive pay raises being rapidly handed out to state agency executives. In some cases those raises…
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…
Is anyone listening?
This year I have enjoyed membership in the rotation of presiding officers for the House of Representatives. The presiding officer of the House presides over…
The War on common sense
OSSAA provides case-in-point of legalism trumping common sense – > Consider this observation. An increase in the number of laws, policies, rules and procedures produces…
Government Board Meetings of the Future
I recently received an assistance request from an individual worried about an impending action by a state agency. He was afraid they were about to…
