Published: March 01, 2007 06:21 pm         

Words from Winchester

OKLAHOMA CITY — The 51st Legislative Session is now underway. The week began with Governor Henry presenting his State of the State speech to a combined House and Senate. Highlights of the Governor’s speech included expansion of educational programs to include 3 year olds, additional money to the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program to secure scholarships for more Oklahoma students, additional dollars for the Teacher Retirement system, expanded health care through the expansion of Medicaid qualifications and eligibility for the Insure Oklahoma program, and additional dollars to Oklahoma’s prison system.

There was no mention of income tax breaks for Oklahoma’s families or businesses; no mention of additional help for our deteriorating transportation system, no plan to address the effects of illegal immigration or any mention to begin to bring reform to Oklahoma’s legal system - the platform of his initial State of the State address four years ago.

The Equalization Board certified approximately $277 million in new money for fiscal year 2008 providing Oklahoma with the largest budget in state history. However, most of the “new dollars” were dedicated to projects through legislation passed last session. Approximately $100 million of this year’s money will go to pay benefit increases scheduled in current law for teachers and state employees, additional dollars will be needed to increase the rate counties receive for housing inmates enroute to state prisons and $750,000 will go for substance abuse and mental health rate increases.

Numerous state agencies have also requested an additional $135 million in supplemental funding saying the money is needed to finish out fiscal year 2007. We obviously need to take good care of this year’s crop of “money trees!”

In addition to the budget, bills are being moved from committees and will soon be ready for action on the floor of the House.

A bill to provide incentives for rural Oklahoma will be considered in the House again this year. HB 1678 would grant a tax break to out of state residents who move back to rural Oklahoma. Under the bill, any out of stater moving to a rural area in Oklahoma would have their income exempted from taxes for up to five years. To qualify, individuals would have to move to counties with fewer than 200,000 residents and towns with 500 to 50,000 residents that have lost population since 1940. There are communities in Grady County that will qualify for the incentives. The bill passed in the House last session but was killed in the Senate.

I always enjoy having visitors travel to the Capitol and was especially excited to have some of their art work travel with them. Judy McCombs, renowned artist, not only within the community of Chickasha but throughout the southwest, will have two pieces of her art work displayed in the House Chamber throughout the Session. Judy was honored by the House on Monday.

Thank you too, to the many of you that brought roses to my office in honor of Rose Day. The flowers are beautiful and I appreciate your continued caring for the unborn.

If my office can be of assistance to you, please contact us by calling 405 557-7333 or by e-mail at susanwinchester@okhouse.gov.