The Black Caucus encourages their fellow Oklahomans to mark their calendars for Tuesday, May 5 so they can attend this important and historical event.

“This will be the 18th Biennial Banquet named in honor of A.C. Hamlin, the first African American ever elected to the State of Oklahoma Legislature in 1908. The A.C. Hamlin Awards dinner was established to honor people in the State that have made extraordinary efforts to advance the agenda of the Black Caucus or serve their communities. Some of the past award winners are former Senator Cal Hobson, Russell Perry, Jim Goodwin, Pastor J.A. Reed, Albert Johnson, and former State Senator Straton Taylor just to name a few,” said Rep. Mike Shelton (D-Oklahoma and Chair or the Black Caucus).

The banquet will be hosted at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. The evening will begin with an opening reception at 6 p.m. followed by a dinner and an award ceremony at 7 p.m.

State Rep. Jabar Shumate (D-Tulsa and Black Caucus chair-elect) is this year’s event coordinator and will be planning the program.

“I am excited about what is in store for our guests this year,” said Shumate. “Our state has been privileged to have African American legislators serving in the Legislature since statehood, and this event gives us an opportunity to celebrate the legacy of our predecessors. Also it gives us the occasion to honor citizen in our state that have made a significant contribution.

Anyone interested in receiving the formal invitation should contact Rep. Mike Shelton by email at mikeshelton@okhouse.gov

By Rep. Jason Murphey
Last week I wrote about how the projected government shortfall is an opportunity to reduce the size of government and to apply technological advances to state government. This action will have the effect of providing improved customer service. A budget shortfall will force legislative leaders and agency officials to do what they would have not taken the time to do when state government largess was increasing. It is actually in a downturn when money is less plentiful that taxpayer accountability and customer service may improve.

I consider it the primary responsibilities of the government modernization effort not only to introduce ideas for reform, but also to clear away the statutory roadblocks that prevent the application of money saving processes.

But there are other vital roles for the modernization effort. Read more…

 Hat tip: OklahomaHorizonTV

We visit with Oklahoma Speaker of the House Chris Benge to see what he hopes to accomplish during the 2009 legislative session despite some serious hurdles.

We’re sure the OK Policy Institute fulfills a critical need by informing the public on state budget issues, but each press release they send out – even before they changed their name – offers the same doom and gloom predictions. Same material different dates. Here’s an excerpt from the latest release touting their new budget brief:

“Before wielding the axe to implement deep budget cuts that would harm the state’s economy and threaten essential public services, policymakers should be attentive to other options, including the state’s $600 million Rainy Day Fund and the potential availability of more than $2 billion in state fiscal relief as part of the economic stimulus package being considered by Congress,” said David Blatt, OK Policy’s Director of Policy.” Read more…

OKGOP Chairman Gary Jones left this note on his Facebook page last weekend:

“Gary is running for re-election for OKGOP Chairman. I will be making a formal announcement next week after returning from the RNC winter meeting in Washington.”

Also announcing her intention to challenge Jones was vice chair Cheryl Williams. This what she left Saturday on her Facebook page: “Cheryl Williams is running for Chair of the Oklahoma GOP.”

We’re honestly confused as to the reason Ms. Williams feels a challenge to Jones’ leadership is necessary at this time. Didn’t John McCain when every county in Oklahoma last November? Aren’t Senate Republicans controlling that body for the first time – ever???? Mr. Jones deserves credit for contributing to that success. We’re left scratching our heads on this one!

Losing the White House and the ousting of President George W. Bush is not enough to bring voters back to the Republican party.  It may be too early to tell whether the GOP naturally recovers, but a recent poll indicates that 36% of Americans identify themselves as Democrats while only 28% say they are Republican. Read more…

If any of you believe this statement, we’ve got some beach front property in Nebraska we’d like to sell you too! Simply put, this is an agreement these newspapers have reached to survive in an age of the internet, twitter, and social networking.

So let’s get this straight, The Oklahoman and the Tulsa World are combining to provide us more news that we’re already not reading! Granted, the country is in a recession and ad revenues are obviously down, but the dinosaur media’s problems are much deeper than a temporary lull in the economy. To put it in a nutshell, folks are finding alternative sources of news because they don’t trust the reporting. How can anyone trust the Tulsa World when the publisher contributes to a politician’s (Drew Edmondson) campaign during the campaign! Both papers’ web presence and anemic use of new media techniques are pathetic. Actually, they give pathetic a bad name. If you need some help fellas to help you try and survive in this new paradigm, (what do you think of that word? Impressed?) give us a call (314 432-4010) we’ll even give you a discount on our consultancy fees.

NOTE

*If there is anyone with vision in Oklahoma who can see the enormous opportunities this opens for new media outlets like OKPNS, give us a call too and we’ll share our ideas to capitalize on the reporting vacuum left by this consolidation.

Related:

Dr. Goose “Press I Guess” an Ode to the Capitol Press Corps

EXCLUSIVE: Lazy Press Set to Sleep Through Poultry Scandal….Again!

Hello again, everyone! This is the final week before the 2009 session of the Oklahoma Legislature begins and I begin spending most of my time in Oklahoma City.

It is clear this will be a challenging session – perhaps as challenging as any in my more than 20 years working in and around the Legislature. The national economic slowdown is creeping into Oklahoma.

We are seeing it in revenue estimates, which are beginning to drop. That will make “Job One” – writing the annual state budget – even more difficult. It is becoming clear that we in the Legislature will have to look at ways to further strengthen Oklahoma’s economy. Read more…

From Examiner.com:

Looks like the rule of law and justice (delayed) still does mean something in Oklahoma. W.A.D. Edmondson’s silly prosecution of three citizens for petitioning their government came to a merciful end yesterday. Upon hearing of the news, an observer and reader of OKPNS sent us this comment:

“We have drugs to regrow hair, surgeries to transform men into women – and vice versa – and we can send a man to the moon, when are we going to find a cure for “Napoleon-itis” or “chronic short man’s syndrome?” Edmondson is a petty, sawed off tyrant who should be run out of Oklahoma on rails for disrupting over a year of these people’s lives and wasting the taxpayer’s money!”

Ouch! Here’s a statement from “Oklahoma 3″ member Paul Jacob” Read more…

Related:

OKPNS: Quote of the Day: “Private Law Firms Representing Oklahoma….Have Spent About $25 Million”

House GOP to seek meeting with Obama on stimulus

Grab your wallets! Read more…

Inaugural comments from former state rep. Thad Balkman: (Norman Transcript)

“There was more buzz and excitement than the last two (inaugurations),” said former Republican House member Thad Balkman of Norman. “Even nonpolitical or apolitical people are interested. My third and fifth grade children have been asking me all about it.”

Balkman, who was in Washington, D.C., on business, said he went a day early just to witness the event.

“I’m working with several members of Congress who have asked us for input on amendments to the stimulus package,” he said. “I’m meeting with them this week and thought, ‘Why not go a day early and witness this historic event?’ I’m a Republican, but I’m also a student of politics and an American.”

Like millions more, Balkman said he, too, “recognize(s) this historic opportunity — the inauguration of our nation’s 44th and first African American president.”

And while Balkman said he doesn’t agree with many of President Obama’s policies, he gives the new president high marks for being a “bright and inspiriting leader.”

“I will support him where I can,” he said. “President Obama has already shown his penchant for pragmatism working with Senator Coburn and re-appointing Secretary Gates. I expect and hope he will seek out and support the best ideas no matter which side of the political spectrum they come from.” Read more..