EDMOND —
To the Editor:
Voting is usually not the first thing one plans to do on Feb. 14, but unless the Edmond voters west of Kelly and north of 15th (Northwest 164th), turn out in solid support of Kathleen Duncan, they risk losing the best school board member they’ve ever had. This would have a negative impact on all Edmond taxpayers, schools, teachers, parents and students.
Her oversight, diligent work and her vote on the board have been crucial to a multitude of important issues educational, societal, healthful and financial. In this difficult economy, it is the financial I’d like to emphasize here.
She fought against TIF — tax increment fincance district — which would have taken money from school funding to help develop the I-35 corridor. The corridor in question is being developed anyway now, but not at the expense of our schools.
Duncan takes the time to actually read contracts for vendors, architects and builders to check for things like accountability. She checks with the end users (teachers and students mostly) to see if what’s in the contract/building plans actually meets their needs. When she uncovers a shortcoming or misuse of funds, she relentlessly seeks to expose and correct the issue as though every dime spent was her own.
Employees, teachers, students and parents know they can trust Duncan to be their voice and take the consequential flack that comes her way.
Recently, her efforts helped bring about a district gift policy that will prevent those who can influence the granting of contracts from the appearance of, or actual taking of, kickbacks. This is just good sense. The spending of public money, requires the utmost supervision to prevent at best, the misuse of funds, and at worst, out and out graft. If you believe the board’s job is simply to hire the superintendent and then play dead, then you want her opponent; but if you are thankful to have a watchdog like Duncan looking out for our interests, get out and vote on Valentine’s Day!
M. Gresham
Edmond
Letters to the Editor
LETTER: Supporter: Detail-oriented Duncan saves district dollars
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Oklahoma cannot stand alone
o the Editors:
President Obama visited Oklahoma on Sunday. He assured us that Oklahoma would receive every support needed to rebuild after our devastating storm. Gov. Fallin told reporters that she would “hold his feet to the fire.” Ask the people of Missouri or in New Jersey if the president needs to have his feet held to the fire!
This was the second time for President Obama to visit Oklahoma. In March of 2012, no Oklahoma top official greeted our president. Choosing to snub our president, Gov. Mary Fallin left for a family vacation in Puerto Rico and Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb attended a conference in Washington. Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett did greet the president on his arrival at Tinker Air Force Base. Thank you, Mayor Cornett, for your respect and sense of protocol! - LETTER: Words of comfort for the many recent storm victims
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Senators give criminals a pass
Oklahoma’s U.S. Sens. Tom Coburn and Jim Inhofe were among 45 senators who recently helped block a sensible measure to reduce gun violence. Specifically, they voted down a measure to expand background checks for gun buyers — a step favored by 86 percent of Americans, according to recent polls. Our senators were not even asked to vote for tougher measures like bans on military-type assault weapons or high-capacity magazines, also favored by 56 percent of Americans, according to a Quinnipiac University poll.
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LETTER: Senators give criminals a pass
To the Editor:
Oklahoma’s U.S. Sens. Tom Coburn and Jim Inhofe were among 45 senators who recently helped block a sensible measure to reduce gun violence. Specifically, they voted down a measure to expand background checks for gun buyers — a step favored by 86 percent of Americans, according to recent polls. Our senators were not even asked to vote for tougher measures like bans on military-type assault weapons or high-capacity magazines, also favored by 56 percent of Americans, according to a Quinnipiac University poll.
By opposing background checks for gun buyers, Sens. Coburn and Inhofe voted in favor of allowing the mentally ill and criminals to buy guns! They call it “Second Amendment” rights. I call it cash for their campaigns from the gun lobby. -
LETTER: Postal carriers seek to ‘Stamp out Hunger’
To the Editor:
On Saturday, help your letter carrier “Stamp Out Hunger” by leaving canned food donations by your mailbox. In Edmond, donations benefit the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma’s partner agencies HOPE Center of Edmond, Route 66 Project and Edmond Grace Fellowship. This effort is part of the 21st annual Letter Carriers’ Food Drive, which is the largest one-day food drive in America. -
LETTER: Unanswered prayer leads to lower taxes, honorable policy makers
To the Editor:
In a recent column, Oklahoma Rep. Jason Murphy (“How a no vote solved gas tax problem,” The Edmond Sun, April 30, 2013) commended the wise and educated voters of Oklahoma for seeing through the 2005 fuel tax increase and demanding more action of our state policy makers. With the recent work of our elected officials, along with the Department of Transportation, our roads and bridges have seen much improvement during the past couple of years. -
LETTER: Senate bills will help veterans living in centers
To the Editor:
I just viewed a short video done by Brig. Gen. Steve Ritchie who recounts the rescue of downed Vietnam pilot RogerLocher in April 1972. Ritchie said that Loche’s rescue was the farthest behind enemy lines and superceded all air operations that day. -
LETTER: President: OneNet saves UCO money
To the Editor:
Discussion continues in The Edmond Sun publications regarding upgrading and consolidating information technology resources in state government. While I respect the viewpoint that has been expressed so far, certain facts should be taken into consideration that directly affect the University of Central Oklahoma and the 17,000 students we serve. -
Bond debt not an unpardonable sin
Is Oklahoma bond indebtedness for Oklahoma infrastructure an unpardonable sin? No! Rep. Jason Murphey wrote a good op ed dealing with what he bemoans as oppressive state bond debt. He calculates each Oklahoman owes $649 in state debt. He and the rest of the ultra-fiscal conservatives can’t bring themselves to support bonds to pay for the state Capitol repairs, building a medical examiner’s office or other legitimate capital expenditures. So using his logic I decided to apply that thinking to my personal and business life.
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Senate bill potentially denies women’s rights
Once again, our state Legislature is moving toward passage of another bill that will not stand up to a court challenge because it is contrary to federal law. It also follows the pattern of many of these failed laws in that it attempts to limit the choices women have in our state.
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Oklahoma cannot stand alone
