The Edmond Sun

Local News

Discussion

July 9, 2010

Murphy seeks return to Corporation Commission

James Coburn The Edmond Sun

EDMOND — Corporation Commissioner Dana Murphy said she has kept the three promises she made to voters when she was elected in 2008.

“I promised I would bring more openness and transparency to the commission. I promised I would take the commission out to communities,” Murphy said. “And I promised to get to work and bring greater working relationships among myself, the commission and other elected officials.”

Murphy will face Tod Yeager of Del City in the July 27 statewide primary. Yeager is a business partner with Oklahoma City based Aerial Oklahoma Inc. No Democrats or Independent candidates are running for corporation commissioner. The winner of the primary election will be elected automatically to the post.

Edmond voters played a significant role in electing their home-town Republican to the Corporation Commission in 2008. Murphy defeated incumbent Jim Roth, D-Oklahoma City, who was appointed to the post by Gov. Brad Henry.

Murphy said she has made her office more transparent by adding more rate cases to the Corporation Commission Web site at www.occ.state.ok.us.

“As far as taking the commission into the communities, I’ve traveled over 20,000 miles and attended or spoken at over 400 events across the state on my own dime,” she said. “Not state dollars and not my campaign dollars.”

Murphy has also arranged meetings with two agency heads or elected officials every month since she was elected to office, she said. And Murphy helped to organize and coordinate town hall meetings across Oklahoma on the subject of horizontal drilling.

“I think it’s about continuing to promote drilling and development in Oklahoma while at the same time looking out for the rights of mineral owners and others,” Murphy continued.

She also donated $2,300 of her salary back to the state of Oklahoma to offset the state’s budget shortfall. The commission made an 8 percent reduction of the agency’s workforce. Eight furlough days were given to 440 employees through the fiscal year with $400,000 in agency cuts.

Continuing to modernize the commission with electronic filing is her vision of the future.

“There’s a lot of complicated energy, utility, energy issues on the horizon,” Murphy said. “And we need to make sure that we’ve got independent, qualified leadership there and I think I’m that person.”



jcoburn@edmondsun.com | 341-2121, ext. 114

Text Only
Local News
  • $6.8B budget crosses final hurdle

    House members found enough votes late Thursday afternoon to approve the state’s $6.8 billion budget for next year by a vote of 52-42. This came after an earlier vote failed by four votes in the House Thursday morning.

    May 25, 2012

  • Santa Fe principal resigns

    Edmond Santa Fe High School principal Earl Kirkpatrick resigned Thursday to explore possibilities in the field of ministry. His last day is June 30.

    May 25, 2012

  • devin derrick 2012.jpg Hollywood dreams do come true: Edmondite develops film, music career

    It’s all about being in the right place at the right time.
    At least that is what Edmond resident and 1990 Edmond High School graduate Devin Derrick will tell you about his rise to fame in the music and movie businesses.

    May 25, 2012 1 Photo

  • ASK A LAWYER: Trusts provide options for difficult heirs

    Q: We have a grown daughter who has a gambling problem. We want to provide for her in our will, but also want to protect her share from being wasted after we die. How can we do this?
    A: Your situation is not unusual. Most of us know at least one person who has difficulty handling money for one reason or another.

    May 25, 2012

  • 5-26 Pets

    This is a list of animals that have been found and are at the Edmond Animal Shelter, at Interstate 35 and Covell in the Cross Timbers Municipal Complex. Call the shelter at 216-7615 for more information.

    May 25, 2012

  • 5-26 Police and Fire

    Information in this column is gathered from city fire incident logs and police incident reports.

    May 25, 2012

  • Make-A-Wish Oklahoma hosts Lexus raffle

    Make-A-Wish Oklahoma will once again partner with Lexus of Tulsa and Eskridge Lexus of Oklahoma City to raffle off a new Lexus, raising funds to support the organization’s efforts to grant the heartfelt wishes of children diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions in Oklahoma.

    May 25, 2012

  • Edmond youth are encouraged to make a difference

    The Edmond Youth Council programs are opportunities for students 15-18 years of age to learn about municipal government and potentially impact future city policies.

    May 25, 2012

  • Hiebert graduates from Field Artillery training

    Army Pfc. Cody A. Hiebert has graduated from the Field Artillery Firefinder Radar Operator Advanced Individual Training course at Fort Sill, Lawton.

    May 25, 2012

  • arcadia lake 3.jpg Police: Comply with lake rules during holiday period

    Summer vacation, hot days and a holiday weekend spell heavier traffic on Arcadia Lake, and police want to remind guests about rules and what happens if you break them.
    May 23 was the last day of school for Edmond Public Schools and the long Memorial Day holiday period has come.

    May 25, 2012 6 Photos