3...2...1...Blast Off!
As a former teacher, I always had that little bit of dread toward the impending start of school. I loved what I was doing and was always looking forward to a new crop of kids but always kinda hated to see summer end. Even as a young person, I worked pretty hard but the start of school always meant less fishing and less time to do fun things, just kinda back to the grind. Session is no different. The life of a legislator is usually busy even when we are not at the capitol but at least you are home most every night and you do have a certain degree of flexibility and you do not have to rely on others to tend livestock, etc. So, while part of me is anxious to “suit up”, the other part might rather have poison ivy. It is very unlikely that this session will be very much fun. All the policy changes that we will attempt will be overshadowed by the looming budget crisis as we attempt to stabilize state government.
On Monday morning as I was writing this article, I had just gotten off a House Leadership conference call with the Speaker and I fully expect that we will move swiftly to attempt to stabilize the budget. None the less, we will still have policy issues to take up. Here is a little preview of some of the bills that I will author that will attempt to make, what I hope are, some positive moves where state law is concerned.
First, is a bill that I may need your help with, House Bill 3209. This is a request from the Oklahoma county sheriff and, in essence, what this bill would attempt to do is provide law enforcement with additional information during a traffic stop or any other encounter with citizens. Most law enforcement agencies are equipped with laptop computers in their units and what this bill would do would be to provide a picture of the person, much like what is already on your driver’s license so that officer can make sure that the person is who they say they are. Interestingly enough, I have received a ton of e-mails on this particular measure, mostly from the Tulsa area, saying that this is an intrusion on privacy as well as generally just a bad idea. The e-mails have been extremely pointed and accusatory and I believe mostly from the extreme right. In fact, some have been downright ugly. Now remember this was a request from a law enforcement agency. It is not something that I dreamed up on my own, but a bill I was asked to carry. Now my cowboy logic litmus test that I always try to put an idea through says that this makes sense and may help keep our law enforcement agents safer. If police stop “John” and let’s say “John” is an outlaw and maybe he stole his brother “Joe’s” driver’s license. The officer can pull “Joe” up on the computer and see if he is who he says he is or not. Now remember OKC bomber Timothy McVeigh was nabbed on a traffic stop. My thought is that if you are not doing anything wrong, what do you have to hide? It may be that some out there would disagree with me and it is definitely open for discussion. I am not married to the issue and, as I said, most of the e-mails seem to be coming from Tulsa. I do not represent Tulsa. I represent you here in Southwest Oklahoma and your opinion matters more to me than the opinions in Tulsa. I remember the senseless tragedy of Trooper Nik Green and we all mourned with that family at the loss of a really good man and a wonderful Christian father. Could this bill have prevented that? Maybe not. But, if it gives our law enforcement officers an additional layer of protection, it might possibly be a good thing. I also want to be sensitive to the other side and their argument against giving up personal freedom. That is a big deal with me also. But, again, I do not rob banks or pursue illegal activities so I really feel that I have nothing to hide. So, I would like to hear from you. Send us an e-mail if you have an opinion.
Another issue that may not be near as contentious will allow the Oklahoma Wheat Commission to be able to purchase needed items for their operation without going through state purchasing. They are a very small agency with just two or three employees and a very limited budget and it would allow them flexibility to make smaller purchases without being overly regulated which ends up costing them more money. Wheat is one of our largest cash crops in Oklahoma agriculture and our commission does a good job. If we can help streamline their operation, it makes sense. We hope we can help offer them some help.
Of course, there is the monster that just will not seem to go away, House Bill 3202. That bill simply makes the act of equine dentistry an act of an animal husbandry, not veterinary medicine, exactly like your ferrier. That one will be ugly and will make statewide news, but I believe we are right and I will not be letting up.
So, stay tuned because in just a few short days, the chute gate opens and it is game on.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the capitol, please do not hesitate to send an email to donarmes@house.gov or call me at 1-800-522-8502.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“Truth is not always popular, but it is always right.” -Unknown
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Census 2010: It's In Our Hands
Census 2010: It’s In Our Hands.
April First used to be known as April Fools’ Day but this year we are going to call it “Census Day” and it is really not a joke. The census is a very important count that occurs every 10 years. Although it is really easy to think it is no big deal, it really is. I spoke at a press conference in Lawton last week where the census people were present and they encouraged community leaders to stress to their citizens how important the census is on many fronts. One of the biggies in Oklahoma is representation in congress.
We have a tremendous amount of growth in Southwest Oklahoma. While that growth may not reach very far into our smaller communities, it will definitely make a difference in the Lawton-Ft. Sill general region. You do not have to drive very far in almost any direction in Lawton to see the growth that has occurred, and continues to occur, through the expansion in Ft. Sill. Lawton has actually slipped to number five on the list of Oklahoma’s largest cities. We used to trade licks with Norman but I think Norman has passed us, along with Broken Arrow. Those of us in the legislature want to make sure that every person in Southwest Oklahoma is counted. A lot of things hinge on population. We certainly want to position ourselves well where funding is concerned and we do not want to slip any further. It stands to reason that the cities outside of major metro areas have an easier time growing than we do down here in the deep southwest. By the same token, we want to make sure that even if we get whipped, we want to get whipped on a level playing field. It is going to be hard to tell until the numbers are in, but I really feel like we have a shot at a growth surge in Southwest Oklahoma. Ft. Sill has told us from the beginning that they expect an increase of ten to twelve thousand troops and families. In the last report I got from the top brass at Ft. Sill, I was told that we are about 50 percent there as far as new people coming. With each new mission that comes to Ft. Sill there comes also what is known as a “contractor tail” that follows the new missions as they move. They really cannot get a number on the contractor part but it will be an additional number of people, only nobody can tell you how many. So, if enough of those folks hit Lawton and surrounding communities, we should be a mark increase in population.
The folks from the Census Bureau tell us that the census form will be very simple: 10 questions and you are done. One of the problems that they encountered during the last session was that only 63 percent responded. When that happens, everyone else is estimated which could put us at a distinct disadvantage. Also mentioned in the press conference was that the Census Bureau will be looking for workers to help compile these numbers. It is very possible that there could even be some employment opportunities for people in our area, like retirees or people who would want to put in a couple months of work. For more information on job opportunities with the US Census or any other questions that may pertain to this ever important population count, visit their website at www.2010census.gov. Overall remember, the big cities are going to do just fine. But, it is us in the rural parts of Oklahoma that are so easily forgotten. So stand up and be counted and help us help you.
The deadline for filing new bills for this legislature has come and gone. In the next week or two we will have more information on what kind of bills are being introduced and we will try to hit some highlights and give you a rundown on what we might see as session approaches.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the capitol, please do not hesitate to send an email to donarmes@house.gov or call me at 1-800-522-8502.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
As the Census Bureau says: “We Can't Move Forward Until You Mail It Back.”
April First used to be known as April Fools’ Day but this year we are going to call it “Census Day” and it is really not a joke. The census is a very important count that occurs every 10 years. Although it is really easy to think it is no big deal, it really is. I spoke at a press conference in Lawton last week where the census people were present and they encouraged community leaders to stress to their citizens how important the census is on many fronts. One of the biggies in Oklahoma is representation in congress.
We have a tremendous amount of growth in Southwest Oklahoma. While that growth may not reach very far into our smaller communities, it will definitely make a difference in the Lawton-Ft. Sill general region. You do not have to drive very far in almost any direction in Lawton to see the growth that has occurred, and continues to occur, through the expansion in Ft. Sill. Lawton has actually slipped to number five on the list of Oklahoma’s largest cities. We used to trade licks with Norman but I think Norman has passed us, along with Broken Arrow. Those of us in the legislature want to make sure that every person in Southwest Oklahoma is counted. A lot of things hinge on population. We certainly want to position ourselves well where funding is concerned and we do not want to slip any further. It stands to reason that the cities outside of major metro areas have an easier time growing than we do down here in the deep southwest. By the same token, we want to make sure that even if we get whipped, we want to get whipped on a level playing field. It is going to be hard to tell until the numbers are in, but I really feel like we have a shot at a growth surge in Southwest Oklahoma. Ft. Sill has told us from the beginning that they expect an increase of ten to twelve thousand troops and families. In the last report I got from the top brass at Ft. Sill, I was told that we are about 50 percent there as far as new people coming. With each new mission that comes to Ft. Sill there comes also what is known as a “contractor tail” that follows the new missions as they move. They really cannot get a number on the contractor part but it will be an additional number of people, only nobody can tell you how many. So, if enough of those folks hit Lawton and surrounding communities, we should be a mark increase in population.
The folks from the Census Bureau tell us that the census form will be very simple: 10 questions and you are done. One of the problems that they encountered during the last session was that only 63 percent responded. When that happens, everyone else is estimated which could put us at a distinct disadvantage. Also mentioned in the press conference was that the Census Bureau will be looking for workers to help compile these numbers. It is very possible that there could even be some employment opportunities for people in our area, like retirees or people who would want to put in a couple months of work. For more information on job opportunities with the US Census or any other questions that may pertain to this ever important population count, visit their website at www.2010census.gov. Overall remember, the big cities are going to do just fine. But, it is us in the rural parts of Oklahoma that are so easily forgotten. So stand up and be counted and help us help you.
The deadline for filing new bills for this legislature has come and gone. In the next week or two we will have more information on what kind of bills are being introduced and we will try to hit some highlights and give you a rundown on what we might see as session approaches.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the capitol, please do not hesitate to send an email to donarmes@house.gov or call me at 1-800-522-8502.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
As the Census Bureau says: “We Can't Move Forward Until You Mail It Back.”
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Rainy Day Fund. Yea or Nay?
Rainy Day Fund. Yea or Nay?
I have had a large number of e-mails and phone calls in the last couple of weeks, mostly from educators encouraging us to dip into the rainy day fund to help shore up education funding. Now, let me preface this discussion by saying this is my opinion and what I would like to see and it is in no way any position of anybody but Don Armes. I am one vote out of 101 house members. If I were king for a day, we would probably have already accessed the Rainy Day Fund and tried to plug some financial holes.
My opinion is that the Rainy Day Fund was set up for times just like these. It is a savings account for when funds are short. I think the best way to try to explain the philosophy is to tie it to your personal finances. If we are financially prudent in our home budget, we typically would rat hole some money for emergencies like a washer breaking down, or a car repair, or a roof on the house. Hopefully we have a little stash for when those things hit. If the state budget was your house, you would probably be careful what you spent that money on. You would probably ask yourself some questions like “do I really need that? Can we live without it? Or, is it a good enough reason to take money out of savings?” As I see this situation, that is exactly what is happening on a state level.
I personally wish the Rainy Day Fund was larger. I wish that when we had plenty of money a few years ago, we would have increased the size of that bucket. The financial crisis we are dealing with now is a perfect example of why that is so important. It is real easy when we have lots of money floating around to say “oh no, let’s not save any. Let’s go ahead and buy what we need this year”. But, it is not the wisest financial move one could make. If it were your savings account and your personal money, you would be careful that you did not burn it on something non-essential. I truly believe that is why the Governor, the Speaker of the House and the Pro Tempore of the Senate have been hesitant to break the seal on the jar that is the Rainy Day Fund. You know how it goes at your house. Once you break the seal, it is hard to keep the money from pouring out. Priorities have to be set and many times families might even discuss whether it is a necessity or not. Not to over-simplify, but that is kinda what we are doing as a state right now. We are carefully weighing our options and trying to make sure that when we make that move, we get as much bang for our buck as we can.
As I said earlier in the column, I believe it is time. I believe that there are some major holes and some very important programs that we need to try to slow the bleeding on. I personally feel that education is worthy. I personally feel that senior nutrition is worthy. We have lots of other areas that are equally as important to the overall machine that is the state of Oklahoma. The problem is there is not enough money to fill all the holes that need filled. When the budget was set last session, every attempt was made to hold education harmless, which simply means that other programs would be cut and education left alone. Now that those revenues have declined well below estimates, that does not look possible. So, to put it in home-owner terms, the washing machine is broken and it is time to go to the savings account. The washing machine is an essential part of the home. A new, big-screen television might not be, or a new car just because you want one. But, yes, the washing machine is probably a worthy expenditure of that savings account. I think education is probably a worthy expenditure, though we will not be able to buy all we need to buy simply because there is not enough there. We may only be able to “repair” the washer. We may not be able to buy a new one.
Now, if you are teacher and you send me an e-mail getting on to me and saying “you must not care about kids”, I will be offended. I spent 13 years of my young adult life in the classroom. I taught through lean years and I taught through years that we had money for things we wanted and needed. I taught in a very small school as well as a larger school. To put it bluntly, I get it and I care. I have children and they go to public school. I am gonna give you another opinion. That opinion is that we will probably address the Rainy Day Fund as soon as we start session. At least that is my hope. We will go in and address the situation and do what needs to be done for an essential program. Now, as I said before, I am one guy and there may be some people who disagree with that. But, I believe the savings account was put in place for times like this. I do not believe it is financially irresponsible to go to that savings account. I believe that one of the reasons there was hesitation, in addition to waiting on revenue numbers, was also the cost of convening the legislature because special session is not cheap. I believe it is around $100,000 a week. I think there was a lack of desire to spend that money unnecessarily and that is probably wise.
I do think it necessary for my constituents to know how I see it because you are going to hear a lot of things and I want to tell you that this budget crunch is real. It is serious and it is not going to improve immediately. I hate this extreme cold but one good thing about it is that it is driving the natural gas price higher. Hopefully that will help refill some of those buckets. Remember that the money we are spending is your money, not ours. You paid it in the form of taxes and we need to be careful how we spend your money.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the capitol, please do not hesitate to send an email to donarmes@house.gov or call me at 1-800-522-8502.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“Economy does not lie in sparing money, but in spending it wisely.” -Thomas Huxley
I have had a large number of e-mails and phone calls in the last couple of weeks, mostly from educators encouraging us to dip into the rainy day fund to help shore up education funding. Now, let me preface this discussion by saying this is my opinion and what I would like to see and it is in no way any position of anybody but Don Armes. I am one vote out of 101 house members. If I were king for a day, we would probably have already accessed the Rainy Day Fund and tried to plug some financial holes.
My opinion is that the Rainy Day Fund was set up for times just like these. It is a savings account for when funds are short. I think the best way to try to explain the philosophy is to tie it to your personal finances. If we are financially prudent in our home budget, we typically would rat hole some money for emergencies like a washer breaking down, or a car repair, or a roof on the house. Hopefully we have a little stash for when those things hit. If the state budget was your house, you would probably be careful what you spent that money on. You would probably ask yourself some questions like “do I really need that? Can we live without it? Or, is it a good enough reason to take money out of savings?” As I see this situation, that is exactly what is happening on a state level.
I personally wish the Rainy Day Fund was larger. I wish that when we had plenty of money a few years ago, we would have increased the size of that bucket. The financial crisis we are dealing with now is a perfect example of why that is so important. It is real easy when we have lots of money floating around to say “oh no, let’s not save any. Let’s go ahead and buy what we need this year”. But, it is not the wisest financial move one could make. If it were your savings account and your personal money, you would be careful that you did not burn it on something non-essential. I truly believe that is why the Governor, the Speaker of the House and the Pro Tempore of the Senate have been hesitant to break the seal on the jar that is the Rainy Day Fund. You know how it goes at your house. Once you break the seal, it is hard to keep the money from pouring out. Priorities have to be set and many times families might even discuss whether it is a necessity or not. Not to over-simplify, but that is kinda what we are doing as a state right now. We are carefully weighing our options and trying to make sure that when we make that move, we get as much bang for our buck as we can.
As I said earlier in the column, I believe it is time. I believe that there are some major holes and some very important programs that we need to try to slow the bleeding on. I personally feel that education is worthy. I personally feel that senior nutrition is worthy. We have lots of other areas that are equally as important to the overall machine that is the state of Oklahoma. The problem is there is not enough money to fill all the holes that need filled. When the budget was set last session, every attempt was made to hold education harmless, which simply means that other programs would be cut and education left alone. Now that those revenues have declined well below estimates, that does not look possible. So, to put it in home-owner terms, the washing machine is broken and it is time to go to the savings account. The washing machine is an essential part of the home. A new, big-screen television might not be, or a new car just because you want one. But, yes, the washing machine is probably a worthy expenditure of that savings account. I think education is probably a worthy expenditure, though we will not be able to buy all we need to buy simply because there is not enough there. We may only be able to “repair” the washer. We may not be able to buy a new one.
Now, if you are teacher and you send me an e-mail getting on to me and saying “you must not care about kids”, I will be offended. I spent 13 years of my young adult life in the classroom. I taught through lean years and I taught through years that we had money for things we wanted and needed. I taught in a very small school as well as a larger school. To put it bluntly, I get it and I care. I have children and they go to public school. I am gonna give you another opinion. That opinion is that we will probably address the Rainy Day Fund as soon as we start session. At least that is my hope. We will go in and address the situation and do what needs to be done for an essential program. Now, as I said before, I am one guy and there may be some people who disagree with that. But, I believe the savings account was put in place for times like this. I do not believe it is financially irresponsible to go to that savings account. I believe that one of the reasons there was hesitation, in addition to waiting on revenue numbers, was also the cost of convening the legislature because special session is not cheap. I believe it is around $100,000 a week. I think there was a lack of desire to spend that money unnecessarily and that is probably wise.
I do think it necessary for my constituents to know how I see it because you are going to hear a lot of things and I want to tell you that this budget crunch is real. It is serious and it is not going to improve immediately. I hate this extreme cold but one good thing about it is that it is driving the natural gas price higher. Hopefully that will help refill some of those buckets. Remember that the money we are spending is your money, not ours. You paid it in the form of taxes and we need to be careful how we spend your money.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the capitol, please do not hesitate to send an email to donarmes@house.gov or call me at 1-800-522-8502.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“Economy does not lie in sparing money, but in spending it wisely.” -Thomas Huxley
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Red Dirt Ready? Really?
Red Dirt Ready? Really?
As I learned of the developments in my district, some weather related, some mechanical and some just who knows, I was in awe of regular people’s ability to adapt and just plain get through the situation. Now let me start this by saying “stuff breaks”. Anything that is mechanical can break: water lines, electric lines, etc. It is like a friend of mine who was a stock car racer used to say “man, that engine was really strokin’ right before it blew up”. Break downs are inevitable and part of life and we all know that. The test is how we handle them.
There was story after story of people just getting along by being resourceful. Like Wes Blanton over at Cache, melting snow in a 55-gallon drum with a fire built around it and carrying water around to the little shut-in neighbor ladies that live around him, to make sure they had enough water to survive. And, guys like Jim Smith down at Frederick, who went and got his spray rig from the farm and filled it up at Tipton and brought it to the hospital so they could care for patients and keep some semblance of sanitation. As we mentioned last week, kudos to the lineman and the water crews that worked in conditions that some would call unbearable. They just bowed their necks, grabbed another gear and kept on truckin’. There will not be any fan fare much for those guys, but by dang there should be.
The most frustrating part, for me, was helping people work through red tape and government bureaucracy. Most of it from some cat in Oklahoma City, holed up in some warm office, questioning our Emergency Management guys on whether they really had an emergency situation or not. It is real easy to second guess a situation with the heater blowing, the lights on and a hot cup of coffee on a desk probably the size of a football field. But, second guess they did. As you might be able to tell, I am not done with them. It is gonna be real easy for them to do the “ole’ government shuffle” and hide behind the fact that emergency management is kinda a blend of federal and state resources. But, as my mother used to say, “don’t tell me about the labor, just show me the baby”. They put Emergency Management guys out in theses areas to be the eyes and the ears, “the boots on the ground” if you will. They need to trust them and they need to be empowered. If Jeff Rector, the Emergency Management man at Frederick says “we need some water buffalos” (which is basically a military trailer that holds potable water for the hospital and the nursing home and whatever else), then in my mind they need to get those assets rollin’.
Now, again, the citizens and county commissioners and all the law enforcement guys were already making things happen. Their challenge was getting through the government red tape. So Emergency Management, as ole’ Ricky Ricardo used to say to Lucy “you’ve got some splainin’ to do”. Those guys know their jobs and they do them well. It is kinda like a fireman. Their job looks pretty easy when nothing is happening. But, when it hits the fan, they are ready. Just like the electric guys and everyone else, they spring into action and they get the job done. My hat is off to them. I guarantee ya, I will be having a meeting very soon with the director of the state Emergency Management system and we are gonna clear a few things up. I really believe that if Tulsa or Oklahoma City was in a similar situation, the race would be on to get assets to those people. I am not a bit happy that our guys in Southwest Oklahoma had to fight like crazy for four stinkin’ water buffalos. Again, thanks to all the volunteers and the people out there who pitched in to do what needed to be done to take care of folks. It was a tough spot and in the true Okie spirit, they stepped up.
In a year like we have had this year, I wonder why we are spending the kind of money that we are spending to run commercials on television with world-renowned actor, Morgan Freeman’s voice, talking about being “red dirt ready”. When, to me, we should be spending money on real stuff. Like maybe, getting resources to small towns so they can get through their crisis without having to fight government red tape. So, I will be asking some questions and I will not be Mr. Popular with Emergency Management, but we ARE gonna visit.
By the time you are reading this, 2010 will be here. My wish for everyone is a happy and prosperous New Year. ’09 was tough and let’s hope 2010 is a lot better.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the capitol, please do not hesitate to send an email to donarmes@house.gov or call me at 1-800-522-8502.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“Volunteers are seldom paid; not because they are worthless, but because they are PRICELESS!” --author unknown
As I learned of the developments in my district, some weather related, some mechanical and some just who knows, I was in awe of regular people’s ability to adapt and just plain get through the situation. Now let me start this by saying “stuff breaks”. Anything that is mechanical can break: water lines, electric lines, etc. It is like a friend of mine who was a stock car racer used to say “man, that engine was really strokin’ right before it blew up”. Break downs are inevitable and part of life and we all know that. The test is how we handle them.
There was story after story of people just getting along by being resourceful. Like Wes Blanton over at Cache, melting snow in a 55-gallon drum with a fire built around it and carrying water around to the little shut-in neighbor ladies that live around him, to make sure they had enough water to survive. And, guys like Jim Smith down at Frederick, who went and got his spray rig from the farm and filled it up at Tipton and brought it to the hospital so they could care for patients and keep some semblance of sanitation. As we mentioned last week, kudos to the lineman and the water crews that worked in conditions that some would call unbearable. They just bowed their necks, grabbed another gear and kept on truckin’. There will not be any fan fare much for those guys, but by dang there should be.
The most frustrating part, for me, was helping people work through red tape and government bureaucracy. Most of it from some cat in Oklahoma City, holed up in some warm office, questioning our Emergency Management guys on whether they really had an emergency situation or not. It is real easy to second guess a situation with the heater blowing, the lights on and a hot cup of coffee on a desk probably the size of a football field. But, second guess they did. As you might be able to tell, I am not done with them. It is gonna be real easy for them to do the “ole’ government shuffle” and hide behind the fact that emergency management is kinda a blend of federal and state resources. But, as my mother used to say, “don’t tell me about the labor, just show me the baby”. They put Emergency Management guys out in theses areas to be the eyes and the ears, “the boots on the ground” if you will. They need to trust them and they need to be empowered. If Jeff Rector, the Emergency Management man at Frederick says “we need some water buffalos” (which is basically a military trailer that holds potable water for the hospital and the nursing home and whatever else), then in my mind they need to get those assets rollin’.
Now, again, the citizens and county commissioners and all the law enforcement guys were already making things happen. Their challenge was getting through the government red tape. So Emergency Management, as ole’ Ricky Ricardo used to say to Lucy “you’ve got some splainin’ to do”. Those guys know their jobs and they do them well. It is kinda like a fireman. Their job looks pretty easy when nothing is happening. But, when it hits the fan, they are ready. Just like the electric guys and everyone else, they spring into action and they get the job done. My hat is off to them. I guarantee ya, I will be having a meeting very soon with the director of the state Emergency Management system and we are gonna clear a few things up. I really believe that if Tulsa or Oklahoma City was in a similar situation, the race would be on to get assets to those people. I am not a bit happy that our guys in Southwest Oklahoma had to fight like crazy for four stinkin’ water buffalos. Again, thanks to all the volunteers and the people out there who pitched in to do what needed to be done to take care of folks. It was a tough spot and in the true Okie spirit, they stepped up.
In a year like we have had this year, I wonder why we are spending the kind of money that we are spending to run commercials on television with world-renowned actor, Morgan Freeman’s voice, talking about being “red dirt ready”. When, to me, we should be spending money on real stuff. Like maybe, getting resources to small towns so they can get through their crisis without having to fight government red tape. So, I will be asking some questions and I will not be Mr. Popular with Emergency Management, but we ARE gonna visit.
By the time you are reading this, 2010 will be here. My wish for everyone is a happy and prosperous New Year. ’09 was tough and let’s hope 2010 is a lot better.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the capitol, please do not hesitate to send an email to donarmes@house.gov or call me at 1-800-522-8502.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“Volunteers are seldom paid; not because they are worthless, but because they are PRICELESS!” --author unknown
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