(Note: In the annals of "see, I told ya' so) well...the story speaks for itself.
By M. Scott Carter
Transcript Staff Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY -- While Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry's State of the State address was well received by a few members of Cleveland County's legislative delegation, other area lawmakers are giving it a lukewarm reception.
State Rep. Bill Nations, a Norman Democrat, said the governor has proven he can work with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
"It's clear his approach to bipartisanship and seeking solutions both parties can agree on is incredibly successful," Nations said.
Nations also said he supported Henry's call for $75 million in funding for the state's endowed chair program. During his speech, Henry asked lawmakers to support a $75 million bond issue which could be used to capture another $75 million in private donations for the endowed chair program at state universities.
However, two of Nations' fellow lawmakers questioned Henry's bond issue proposal.
State Sen. Kathleen Wilcoxson, R-Oklahoma City, and state Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, both said Monday afternoon they had concerns about "a number of issues" the governor spoke about during the joint session of the Oklahoma Legislature.
"I was very glad to hear some of the things he had to say about education," Wilcoxson said. "However, it does concern me that he's spending a lot of new money, particularly on bond issues."
Wilcoxson -- co-chair of the Senate Education Committee -- said she's "leery" of the governor's bond proposal. "It bothers me because it's your grandchildren and it's my grandchildren who will be paying for those bonds," she said.
Terrill agreed.
"That's not something I'm comfortable with," he said.
Other ideas from the governor's speech generated a similar response. Both Terrill and Wilcoxson said they "had concerns" about the governor's push to develop alternatives to the state's current method of incarcerating prisoners.
"The state's prisons are filled to capacity," Henry said. "And while the most basic function of government is the protection of its citizens, for too long we have administered a one-size-fits-all approach."
Being tough on crime, Henry said, and being smart about crime are not mutually exclusive.
Wilcoxson disagreed.
"If I knew what the difference between a violent and a non-violent offender was, I might be more interested," she said. "But I'm really wondering who would be in prison that is non-violent."
Lawmakers, Wilcoxson said, "have to be very, very careful" that they are not letting people out of prison who shouldn't be freed.
State Sen. Jonathan Nichols, R-Norman, questioned the governor's proposal for early childhood education for 3-year-olds.
"We need to thoroughly examine whether our current (school) facilities can accommodate such a program," he said. "We also need to consider whether this is a mandatory program or not."
Terrill said the governor "walked right up to the line" of calling for "some type of pre-release" program for the state Department of Corrections. "That concerns me," he said. "That seems like what the governor is talking about."
Both lawmakers, however, said they supported the governor's call for increased use of state drug and alcohol courts.
"I do understand that people need drug treatment," Wilcoxson said. "And I support more funding for drug courts. We need to do something for our people who are on drugs. We don't want them out on the street if they are not safe."
While the governor didn't mention specific funding levels for the state's higher education system, his call for a permanent funding source for the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program -- also known as Oklahoma's Promise -- received a thumbs up and a thumbs down from Terrill.
"OHLAP, or Oklahoma's Promise, makes a simple, profound pledge to students," the governor said. "It's time to secure a permanent, dedicated funding source for Oklahoma's Promise. It's academic, Oklahoma's promise is worth keeping our promise to Oklahoma students."
Terrill said he supported the scholarship program and even a permanent funding source, but poked holes in the governor's call to use the state's income tax as the source of that funding.
"I support permanent funding for OHLAP," Terrill said. "But not with an income tax. House Republicans want to eliminate the income tax."
Still, the lawmakers did agree with portions of the governor's speech.
"I support developing our bio-fuel program," Wilcoxson said. "If it can help us with our rural development and it can help us build our rural economy, then I'm for it."
What she really wanted to know, she said, "is how we're gonna fund it."
"Anything we can do to make us less dependent on foreign oil, anything we can do to build our economy, we're for that," she said. "Let's make sure we can pay for it."
Terrill said he, too, supported the idea.
"I'm open to any idea that will lessen our dependency on foreign oil," he said.
With the Senate locked in a 24-24 split, Terrill and Wilcoxson agreed with the governor that lawmakers must work together.
"There is no glory in gridlock," Henry said. "We must be the movers and shakers of history."
By M. Scott Carter
Transcript Staff Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY -- While Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry's State of the State address was well received by a few members of Cleveland County's legislative delegation, other area lawmakers are giving it a lukewarm reception.
State Rep. Bill Nations, a Norman Democrat, said the governor has proven he can work with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
"It's clear his approach to bipartisanship and seeking solutions both parties can agree on is incredibly successful," Nations said.
Nations also said he supported Henry's call for $75 million in funding for the state's endowed chair program. During his speech, Henry asked lawmakers to support a $75 million bond issue which could be used to capture another $75 million in private donations for the endowed chair program at state universities.
However, two of Nations' fellow lawmakers questioned Henry's bond issue proposal.
State Sen. Kathleen Wilcoxson, R-Oklahoma City, and state Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, both said Monday afternoon they had concerns about "a number of issues" the governor spoke about during the joint session of the Oklahoma Legislature.
"I was very glad to hear some of the things he had to say about education," Wilcoxson said. "However, it does concern me that he's spending a lot of new money, particularly on bond issues."
Wilcoxson -- co-chair of the Senate Education Committee -- said she's "leery" of the governor's bond proposal. "It bothers me because it's your grandchildren and it's my grandchildren who will be paying for those bonds," she said.
Terrill agreed.
"That's not something I'm comfortable with," he said.
Other ideas from the governor's speech generated a similar response. Both Terrill and Wilcoxson said they "had concerns" about the governor's push to develop alternatives to the state's current method of incarcerating prisoners.
"The state's prisons are filled to capacity," Henry said. "And while the most basic function of government is the protection of its citizens, for too long we have administered a one-size-fits-all approach."
Being tough on crime, Henry said, and being smart about crime are not mutually exclusive.
Wilcoxson disagreed.
"If I knew what the difference between a violent and a non-violent offender was, I might be more interested," she said. "But I'm really wondering who would be in prison that is non-violent."
Lawmakers, Wilcoxson said, "have to be very, very careful" that they are not letting people out of prison who shouldn't be freed.
State Sen. Jonathan Nichols, R-Norman, questioned the governor's proposal for early childhood education for 3-year-olds.
"We need to thoroughly examine whether our current (school) facilities can accommodate such a program," he said. "We also need to consider whether this is a mandatory program or not."
Terrill said the governor "walked right up to the line" of calling for "some type of pre-release" program for the state Department of Corrections. "That concerns me," he said. "That seems like what the governor is talking about."
Both lawmakers, however, said they supported the governor's call for increased use of state drug and alcohol courts.
"I do understand that people need drug treatment," Wilcoxson said. "And I support more funding for drug courts. We need to do something for our people who are on drugs. We don't want them out on the street if they are not safe."
While the governor didn't mention specific funding levels for the state's higher education system, his call for a permanent funding source for the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program -- also known as Oklahoma's Promise -- received a thumbs up and a thumbs down from Terrill.
"OHLAP, or Oklahoma's Promise, makes a simple, profound pledge to students," the governor said. "It's time to secure a permanent, dedicated funding source for Oklahoma's Promise. It's academic, Oklahoma's promise is worth keeping our promise to Oklahoma students."
Terrill said he supported the scholarship program and even a permanent funding source, but poked holes in the governor's call to use the state's income tax as the source of that funding.
"I support permanent funding for OHLAP," Terrill said. "But not with an income tax. House Republicans want to eliminate the income tax."
Still, the lawmakers did agree with portions of the governor's speech.
"I support developing our bio-fuel program," Wilcoxson said. "If it can help us with our rural development and it can help us build our rural economy, then I'm for it."
What she really wanted to know, she said, "is how we're gonna fund it."
"Anything we can do to make us less dependent on foreign oil, anything we can do to build our economy, we're for that," she said. "Let's make sure we can pay for it."
Terrill said he, too, supported the idea.
"I'm open to any idea that will lessen our dependency on foreign oil," he said.
With the Senate locked in a 24-24 split, Terrill and Wilcoxson agreed with the governor that lawmakers must work together.
"There is no glory in gridlock," Henry said. "We must be the movers and shakers of history."
Comments