EDMOND —
To the Editor:
I’m writing in response to an opinion piece written by Rep. Jason Murphey titled “Why did your property tax go up?” (Dec. 4, 2012, The Edmond Sun)
Murphey is ranting about ad valorem taxes going up in his district primarily due to school bond issues that were approved by the voters. Schools are largely supported by ad valorem tax, particularly the capital outlays. Voters must approve the ad valorem tax supported bonds, and I believe it must be a 60 percent approval, not just a mere 51 percent.
Murphey rants that many people did not know about the school election dates so did not vote and thus, due to their ignorance were somehow disenfranchised. It sort of begs the question: “Do you really want a bunch of uninformed yahoos casting uninformed votes?” I personally would prefer that all citizens get informed on issues and cast an informed vote.
Years ago, when I ran for public office I would say “no matter who or how you vote, please go to the poll and vote.” I have come to realize the error of that statement. If you are too dumb or disengaged to know that there is an election and too narrow to get informed about the issue on the ballot then please, by all means, do not vote. Placing school elections on general election days is not the answer. Many more voters, if informed, would be a good thing. However, many voters showing up to vote against President Obama or for Sen. Jim Inhofe and then as an aside voting on multiple non-national or non-statewide issues may not rectify the egregious wrong Murphey perceives.
Murphey’s real motive is to stop all tax increases at the local level. That would mean no new school improvements, no jail improvements, no new money for county roads and courthouse operations in Logan County. In Oklahoma City it would mean no MAPS I, II or III, all which were approved by voters. But the worse attack would be on public schools. I think it was Thomas Jefferson who said “you cannot have a democracy without an informed citizenry; and you cannot have an informed citizenry without public education.”
Alas, perhaps this is the real reason for Murphey’s rant. If we can gut public education and dumb down citizens then we can keep electing the same rednecks.
At least the micro segment of the population, which Murphey deplores, that may have voted for a tax increase stayed engaged, got up off their behinds and went to the polls. The others just whine. The right to complain carries with it a duty to participate. If you cannot stay informed enough to participate, then please don’t go whining to your representative or to me. You have no one to blame for your unhappiness but your lazy self. And if driving to the polls on a winter day is too inconvenient so as to disenfranchise voters as Murphey believes, then probably we have lost the zeal for democracy’s citizen participation that the founding fathers envisioned.
Randel Shadid
Edmond
Letters to the Editor
Democracy works best with informed voters
- Letters to the Editor
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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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Edmond’s state senators and representatives can do their part to help the economy
To the Editor:
Enclosed below is a list of things that I as a citizen believe to be important for the upcoming session. -
Remembering good friends
To the Editor,
I would like to tell the wonderful people of Edmond that we have lost someone very special to us. - More Letters to the Editor Headlines
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Senators give criminals a pass
