The Edmond Sun

Local News

Discussion

October 14, 2008

Candidates talk economy during forum

James Coburn

EDMOND — Issues impacting the lives of Edmond residents and Oklahoma were the focus of a candidate forum Tuesday morning at Oklahoma Christian University.

“It’s a very important time in the history of our state,” said Peggy Geib, Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce board chairwoman.

The chamber hosted the event, which featured House District 31 candidates Jason Murphey, incumbent R-Guthrie, and Jennifer Sherrill, D-Guthrie; District 39 candidates Marian Cooksey, incumbent R-Edmond, Graham Guhl, D-Edmond, and Richard Prawdzienski, I-Edmond; District 83 candidates Randy McDaniel, incumbent R-Oklahoma City; and Olivia Cavanaugh, a Classen School of Advanced Studies student representing Ed Holzberger, D-Nichols Hills.

Diversification has served the state well, said McDaniel, who was endorsed by the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce. The state’s leadership in biotechnology and a commitment to alternate sources of energy will help the state’s economy, he said.

“We can’t let Oklahoma fall behind Texas when it comes to wind energy,” said Sherrill, an attorney. “Oklahoma lost jobs as oil companies moved to Houston and we can’t let that happen to wind energy.”

The development of biofuels would benefit the agricultural industry, Sherrill said.

Prawdzienski said a way to help Oklahoma to grow would be to recruit Californians to move to the state.

“California has over a 10 percent income tax,” said Prawdzienski, who retired from an integrated logistics systems acquisition career with the U.S. Air Force. “If we go to California and ask them to come here, maybe they’ll come here and build a car in Oklahoma. They can create a battery operated car. The guys in California did it. Let’s bring them here.”

Guhl said lawmakers need to learn the ramifications of how elderly stockholders lost money during the plunging stock market. He also would provide tax relief for small business owners who adequately insure their employees.

“I think most of us remember the 1980s,” said Cooksey, a Realtor. “And when our economy went down — the lending industry, the housing industry and the oil industry, our economy was in a mess.”

Oklahomans reacted by diversifying the economy to keep the state strong, she said. Any tax increase would be counterproductive, she said.

Education was another topic of discussion presented by Geib. An imbalance in the school formula results in Edmond receiving less state aid funding than rural school districts in Oklahoma, she said.

“What actions would you take if elected to bring a balance to the funding formula?” she asked.

Prawdzienski said parents are responsible for their children’s education. He advocates that parents write a check each month for tuition to fund their children’s education. This would make parents more involved in their children’s schools, he said.

Holzberger is an independent thinker who believes in a pay as you go plan for state programs including education, Cavanaugh said of her former science teacher.

Guhl said the state has a moral obligation to provide an education for its children. However, inefficiencies and government waste prevail in the state’s school systems, he said.

“I clearly believe it’s very proper and appropriate to consolidate many school districts to eliminate and reduce the amount of taxpayer burden in order to fund those schools,” said Guhl, assistant district attorney at the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s office.

Murphey said OU has one employee for every two students. He and Sen. Patrick Anderson, R-Enid, sponsored a bill that looked at how OU issues debt.

The debt wasn’t being approved by the Legislature or the people, Murphey said.

Such a debt load makes it hard to fund “real needs” for higher education, he said. SB 1398 will benefit UCO in the long-term, he said.

Text Only
Local News
  • jc_babyA.jpg OU Medical Edmond greets 100th baby

    Sometimes it seems as if history repeats itself.
    My Birth Center at OU Medical Center Edmond delivered its 100th baby at 7:42 a.m. Friday, 44 years after the hospital’s first 100th baby was born in 1968. My Birth Center opened in September, becoming the first birth place available in Edmond since 2005.

    February 11, 2012 3 Photos

  • 2-11 Police & fire runs

    February 11, 2012

  • School board candidates release financial reports

    Both candidates running for the Edmond school board District No. 1 seat filed their first of two financial reports with the school administration.

    February 11, 2012

  • 2-11 Edmond Senior Center calendar

    The Edmond Senior Center, 2733 Marilyn Williams Drive, is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday.
    For information about Edmond senior programs, stop by and pick up a monthly calendar, check out the website at edmondseniorcenter.com or call 216-7600.
    Lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. and reservations are needed a day in advance by 11 a.m.
    For lunch reservations, call at 330-6293 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

    February 10, 2012

  • State schools to receive No Child Left Behind waiver

    State Secretary of Education Phyllis Hudecki announced Thursday Oklahoma is one of 10 states chosen to receive a waiver from No Child Left Behind requirements.

    February 10, 2012

  • Logan Co. Democrats to meet Monday

    The Logan County Democratic Committee will have its monthly meeting on Monday.
    The main order of business will be Get Out the Vote for the April 3 state Senate race. Precinct officers are encouraged to attend. In addition to business and planning items, the group will celebrate Logan County Democrats with birthdays in February. 

    February 10, 2012

  • Eloise Rees.jpg Edmond loses wealth of knowledge with death of resident

    The death of longtime Edmond resident Eloise Rodkey Rees goes with the saying that with every death, you lose a library.

    February 10, 2012 1 Photo

  • Polling places: Where to vote

    February 10, 2012

  • Humphreys seeks Senate seat

    Fearing that the liberties of Oklahomans are slipping away, Republican Chris Humphreys said he hopes to win the state Senate District 20 primary race set for Tuesday.

    February 10, 2012

  • Unwritten contracts hard to prove

    Q: Can an agreement be enforced if it is not in writing?
    A: Although it is generally advisable to put every agreement in writing, most agreements can be enforced without written evidence of the deal. Both oral and written contracts can, in the right circumstances, bind the parties to perform.

    February 10, 2012