Oklahomans love their freedom. If they had their druthers, they would just as soon the government leave them alone and let them go about their business. As a general rule, Oklahomans are pretty staunch about their right to keep and bear arms. Most of the time, I am 90% with them. No, on second thought I’m 98% with them. Your right to keep and bear arms is an issue that is pretty important to me. I have always been proud of my A rating with the NRA. I am a gun owner as well as a sportsman. I think our forefathers knew what they were doing when they established the second amendment. I have however really had to stick my thumb in the wind on the open carry issue.
I think that open carry may make some people nervous. In fact, I had a conversation Friday back in my district when I grabbed a nice, healthy lunch at the Hop-N-Sack and set down to talk with some neighbors, one of which was even in camo and is an avid outdoorsman. They said that it gave them concern and these are guys that would fight ya’ for their right to keep and bear arms. Everyone in the group said they kept a gun in the pickup all the time. Their concern was that if open carry passed without any constrictions, an 18 year old kid with no training or background check could strap on a hog leg, and off he goes! I was a little surprised because I would have bet ya a dollar to a doughnut because I would have thought those guys would have said “shoot ya, let’s open carry”. I told them that I had actually used them in discussions when I compare guys in a convenience store in the country to a Starbucks in OKC or Tulsa. My thoughts were that if someone were to come into a store like the one we were sitting in with a gun on his hip, no one would be too alarmed. If that someone came into a Starbucks in a metro area or something like it, people would get really nervous. While I voted for the amended version of HB1647, and by the way the amendment tightened it up a lot, because it said that someone with a protective order in fear of their life would be able to open carry, but that the “everyday Joe” would not. One good reason to be in contact with your voters is because if you will listen, they will tell you. These are all God fearing, hard working, gun owning guys.
I think those nervous about open carry outnumber those in favor for it. I think it was interesting that the NRA was neutral but the OK2A which is a group of Oklahoma gun owners who fight for the second amendment and are promoting open carry, would love to see it. I think for many it is just a flat out scary issue. If one if a guy would think rationally, most of us really have no fear of law abiding citizens keeping firearms, whether in a vehicle, a purse, in the nightstand or for that matter, in the gun rack in a pickup. I do however think that for some, certainly not everyone but again, for some open carry maybe be going a little too far. I think my epiphany happened Friday in Chattanooga, Oklahoma when my gun-toting buddies said it worried them. I think it boils down to this: most conservatives will defend your right to keep and bear arms; they just do not necessarily want to see it.
We will see what the final version looks like and I will probably be a yes vote. But, you better believe, I am going to be running some more traps with the country boys between now and then. ‘Til next time…
If you would like to contact me while I am at the Capitol, please do not hesitate to call
1-800-522-8502 or send an e-mail to donarmes@okhouse.gov.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“An armed society is a polite society.” – Robert A. Heinlein
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Ugly Business
Deadlines always have a way of applying pressure. It places a time contract and forces things to be done within a framework. This past week at the Capitol was one of those deadline weeks. It is probably the most awful time to be a legislator. I have seen some very intelligent people over the last decade try to manage the flow of the legislative process. Even the smartest of them struggle so I am beginning to think it is just the nature of the beast. The gatekeeper for bills is the floor leader. This year’s Floor Leader who was appointed by the Speaker, is Dan Sullivan from Tulsa. Dan is probably as smart as anyone I have ever met. But, even with his way above average intelligence, the task of getting 3,000 pieces of legislation through the process is very daunting. We really did not want to meet on Friday this last week because of the additional cost so we crammed about three weeks worth of floor activity into four days.
I thought of a cowboy analogy as I set in the presiding chair listening to a debate that I had heard many times. There only difference now is that it is coming from new players. I believe that bills in the legislative process are a lot like working a pen of cattle. If you have ever worked cattle, you will know exactly what I am talking about. Most of the gentle, easy to handle calves will go through the chute fairly smoothly. As you work toward the back of the pen, you get into the knuckleheads of the group. They are the ones who do not want to go through the alley, the ones who fight the chute, they spook and shy, usually require a little cussin’ and just generally cause trouble. Most of us were not lucky enough to have Dr. Temple Grandin design our facilities. Bills in the legislature are much like that. The easy ones go through the process pretty early and usually pretty smoothly. The knuckle heads or in this case the tougher, more contentious bills kind of ball up in the corner of the pen. When you finally get them headed down that alley, it takes lots of hot shottin’, whippin’ and cussin’ to finally get them passed.
This last week was like 150 head of five weight steers just off wheat pasture coating everything with a color of green, you know what I’m sayin’, and just kickin’ the snot out of anyone who got in their way. About that fourth night that lasted till near midnight, we had a bunch of people ready to get out of that dome. We have a lot of diversity in the House chamber this year. There is quite a spread between the right and left. It has caused a lot of headaches and fights. Interestingly enough, many of the fights have been caused by the extreme right teaming up with the left. Many of those battles have occurred because of an unusual alliance between the left and the right. I am really not trying to poke anyone in the eye with that. It just is what it is. It has been said that politics makes strange bed fellows. There is probably not a better example of that than in the House this year. I am always honored to preside over the House and I have always appreciated the Speaker’s confidence in me to sit in the chair and run the session but this year, instead of a gavel, you almost need a striped shirt and a whistle. It has just been tough, no let’s just say ugly. I have never pulled punches or tried to sugar coat things and I am not going to now.
This week is already better because we have passed the deadline and we restart the timer. We are now going through the committee process of hearing Senate bills on our side. In a few short weeks, we will do it again. And then, we will start on the budget. Pray for us.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the Capitol, please do not hesitate to call 1-800-522-8502 or send an e-mail to donarmes@okhouse.gov
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“Politics are very much like war. We may even have to use poison gas at times.” -Winston Churchill
I thought of a cowboy analogy as I set in the presiding chair listening to a debate that I had heard many times. There only difference now is that it is coming from new players. I believe that bills in the legislative process are a lot like working a pen of cattle. If you have ever worked cattle, you will know exactly what I am talking about. Most of the gentle, easy to handle calves will go through the chute fairly smoothly. As you work toward the back of the pen, you get into the knuckleheads of the group. They are the ones who do not want to go through the alley, the ones who fight the chute, they spook and shy, usually require a little cussin’ and just generally cause trouble. Most of us were not lucky enough to have Dr. Temple Grandin design our facilities. Bills in the legislature are much like that. The easy ones go through the process pretty early and usually pretty smoothly. The knuckle heads or in this case the tougher, more contentious bills kind of ball up in the corner of the pen. When you finally get them headed down that alley, it takes lots of hot shottin’, whippin’ and cussin’ to finally get them passed.
This last week was like 150 head of five weight steers just off wheat pasture coating everything with a color of green, you know what I’m sayin’, and just kickin’ the snot out of anyone who got in their way. About that fourth night that lasted till near midnight, we had a bunch of people ready to get out of that dome. We have a lot of diversity in the House chamber this year. There is quite a spread between the right and left. It has caused a lot of headaches and fights. Interestingly enough, many of the fights have been caused by the extreme right teaming up with the left. Many of those battles have occurred because of an unusual alliance between the left and the right. I am really not trying to poke anyone in the eye with that. It just is what it is. It has been said that politics makes strange bed fellows. There is probably not a better example of that than in the House this year. I am always honored to preside over the House and I have always appreciated the Speaker’s confidence in me to sit in the chair and run the session but this year, instead of a gavel, you almost need a striped shirt and a whistle. It has just been tough, no let’s just say ugly. I have never pulled punches or tried to sugar coat things and I am not going to now.
This week is already better because we have passed the deadline and we restart the timer. We are now going through the committee process of hearing Senate bills on our side. In a few short weeks, we will do it again. And then, we will start on the budget. Pray for us.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the Capitol, please do not hesitate to call 1-800-522-8502 or send an e-mail to donarmes@okhouse.gov
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“Politics are very much like war. We may even have to use poison gas at times.” -Winston Churchill
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Retirement Blues
There has been a whirlwind of activity lately surrounding the subject of public pension systems in the state of Oklahoma. I would like to shed a little light, at least for my constituents and friends, on my read of the situation. First of all, there is no doubt that public pension systems are expensive. They are a scary place to tread for any politician because in my experience, the private sector opinion is that the public sector employees have a bird nest on the ground and the public sector employees think that they have a birthright. As with most issues, you have to peel back the layers of the onion or clear the air of the smoke most of which is created by rhetoric from either side, to get down to what I call the real deal, or the brass tax.
I have been involved in numerous discussions with some incredibly smart people for the past few weeks where the pension subject has been cussed and discussed in great detail and in some very heated settings. I believe as I have said many times in many articles that life is truly about balance. Pension systems can be a huge drain on the state budget but I also consider them to be a commitment that I believe we should honor. Right or wrong, if a guy signs up to be a teacher, fire fighter, or state employee, he signed on with the agreement that if he worked a certain number of years and paid into the system, he could rightfully expect compensation in the form of some type of retirement check. Now, there is a great deal of disagreement on how that should be handled. I am not what I would call “a numbers guy” but as I always do, I try to apply some common sense and “cowboy logic”. The proposal to put everyone in state service on a “defined contribution plan” vs. a “defined benefit plan” to many folks makes a lot of sense. Most proponents of defined contribution say that no longer will the state be responsible for retirements but that it now becomes the individuals’ responsibility. Simple enough, right? But, where do you start?
The proposal was to put all new employees on a defined contribution system which means, in oversimplified terms, they are now in their own 401K plan. That stops the drain on the state system, right? Except when you consider the employees who are nearing retirement who have worked their entire career assuming the money would be there for their retirement check each month. Prior to putting everyone on defined contribution, any new hire would be paying into the retirement system, funding that system for the guy who has already retired. That creates an interesting scenario. The question that no one can answer to my satisfaction is this: 20 years down the road, where does the money come from to fund a 70 year old’s retirement and does it run out before the people do?
I trust a great deal in some of the guys who have authored the retirement bills and in their ability to crunch numbers and play out scenarios. I probably trust them with my life savings. When I ask the aforementioned question the answer has always been “well, the legislature will just have to appropriate the money”. That is the part that I think they and many others miss. I have been in the legislature longer than any of the guys running the bills. The huge hole in their theory is the political hole. I cannot tell you what the legislature will do next week with any certainty let alone a generation down the road. That, in my estimation is the big problem. Can we honor that commitment while we fix the system? Nothin’ to it, right? Well, not if you are working on it in the coffee shop. Where it gets tough is the Capitol where the real deal happens. Where every time you push that button you affect somebody’s life. The good news is that these bills are going to a task force to thoroughly study these issues to come up with a real world, workable solution that can shore up these systems and quit putting such a strain on state budget. Hopefully in the end, balance can be struck.
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:
"Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship"-- Benjamin Franklin
I have been involved in numerous discussions with some incredibly smart people for the past few weeks where the pension subject has been cussed and discussed in great detail and in some very heated settings. I believe as I have said many times in many articles that life is truly about balance. Pension systems can be a huge drain on the state budget but I also consider them to be a commitment that I believe we should honor. Right or wrong, if a guy signs up to be a teacher, fire fighter, or state employee, he signed on with the agreement that if he worked a certain number of years and paid into the system, he could rightfully expect compensation in the form of some type of retirement check. Now, there is a great deal of disagreement on how that should be handled. I am not what I would call “a numbers guy” but as I always do, I try to apply some common sense and “cowboy logic”. The proposal to put everyone in state service on a “defined contribution plan” vs. a “defined benefit plan” to many folks makes a lot of sense. Most proponents of defined contribution say that no longer will the state be responsible for retirements but that it now becomes the individuals’ responsibility. Simple enough, right? But, where do you start?
The proposal was to put all new employees on a defined contribution system which means, in oversimplified terms, they are now in their own 401K plan. That stops the drain on the state system, right? Except when you consider the employees who are nearing retirement who have worked their entire career assuming the money would be there for their retirement check each month. Prior to putting everyone on defined contribution, any new hire would be paying into the retirement system, funding that system for the guy who has already retired. That creates an interesting scenario. The question that no one can answer to my satisfaction is this: 20 years down the road, where does the money come from to fund a 70 year old’s retirement and does it run out before the people do?
I trust a great deal in some of the guys who have authored the retirement bills and in their ability to crunch numbers and play out scenarios. I probably trust them with my life savings. When I ask the aforementioned question the answer has always been “well, the legislature will just have to appropriate the money”. That is the part that I think they and many others miss. I have been in the legislature longer than any of the guys running the bills. The huge hole in their theory is the political hole. I cannot tell you what the legislature will do next week with any certainty let alone a generation down the road. That, in my estimation is the big problem. Can we honor that commitment while we fix the system? Nothin’ to it, right? Well, not if you are working on it in the coffee shop. Where it gets tough is the Capitol where the real deal happens. Where every time you push that button you affect somebody’s life. The good news is that these bills are going to a task force to thoroughly study these issues to come up with a real world, workable solution that can shore up these systems and quit putting such a strain on state budget. Hopefully in the end, balance can be struck.
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:
"Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship"-- Benjamin Franklin
Monday, March 14, 2011
Ken Cook Day at the Capitol
Monday, March 7th, I was honored to recognize my good friend and constituent Ken Cook for his awesome achievements after thirty plus years on the pro bass fishing circuit. The presentation was made amid lots of turmoil on the House floor but none the less, we were able to recognize his lifetime of dedication to the sport of professional fishing. Ken was the last Oklahoman to win the Bassmaster Classic which he did in 1991. He was inducted in February into the Bassmaster Hall of Fame. Ken is like the Nolan Ryan of bass fishing, the Energizer Bunny if you will. He was able to continue on that very competitive tournament trail when most of the young whipper snappers would have hung up their tackle. He has been a wonderful advocate for not only the fishing scene but also for all other outdoor pursuits. He was accompanied Monday by his wife Tammy, his son Hunter and wife, as well as his adopted daughter Monica, as we recognized his achievements and wished him well on the House floor. Congratulations Ken. We wish you well as you continue to enjoy our state’s great outdoors.
I thought you might like to see some key issues that have taken place on the House floor in the past week. The paragraphs listed below address the topics and their progress thus far.
Transportation Transparency Act Passes House
House lawmakers voted this week to increase public scrutiny of state road revenue. House Bill 1489, the Taxpayer Transparency Act, passed through the Oklahoma House of Representatives with no opposition. It would create a single state Web site where the public can access all state road funding data. The bill’s author noted that over half of some transportation-generated revenue, such as motor vehicle fees, currently goes to non-transportation sources and agencies. With billions of dollars in unfunded road and bridge repairs, he argued that citizens should know where those tax dollars are actually going. House Bill 1489 passed 96-0 and will now go to the Oklahoma Senate for consideration.
Citizens Could Decide Open Carry
Oklahoma voters could decide whether or not to authorize the open carry of firearms under legislation approved by a House committee this week. House Bill 1796 calls for an election to determine if state law should be changed to allow citizens to openly carry firearms. Under the bill, Oklahomans with a valid handgun license (which would be the equivalent of the current concealed carry license) would have the right to carry a weapon openly without concealing it. Those with the license would have to undergo background checks and firearms training before being licensed. House Bill 1796 passed out of the House Public Safety Committee on a 17-0 vote today. It will next go to the floor of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
Lawmakers Approve Bill to Require Initiative Petitions to Identify Funding Source
Legislation approved by the Oklahoma House of Representatives would require initiative petitions that mandate new spending to identify a funding source. House Bill 1225 would require those submitting a petition to include a statement “outlining all sources of funding to be used in the measure.” House Bill 1225 passed by a vote of 52-46 and now proceeds to the Senate.
Committee Approves Bill to Improve Appropriations Process
Under legislation passed by a House committee this week, lawmakers would have more information before passing a state budget. House Bill 1422 authorizes the Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board to begin education employees’ insurance plan year on July 1, starting in 2012. Changing the insurance plan’s start date allows lawmakers to know the cost of the plan before they put together the state budget. In the past, it was not unusual for entities to have to ask for a supplemental due to rate increases when a new plan started in January – the halfway point of the fiscal year. It was also not unusual for the plan to be less than fully funded, requiring school districts to address the shortfall by diverting money from other school programs. House Bill 1422 was approved by the House Insurance Committee and will now proceed to the House floor for consideration.
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:
“Persistence is to the character of man as carbon is to steel.” –Napoleon Hill
I thought you might like to see some key issues that have taken place on the House floor in the past week. The paragraphs listed below address the topics and their progress thus far.
Transportation Transparency Act Passes House
House lawmakers voted this week to increase public scrutiny of state road revenue. House Bill 1489, the Taxpayer Transparency Act, passed through the Oklahoma House of Representatives with no opposition. It would create a single state Web site where the public can access all state road funding data. The bill’s author noted that over half of some transportation-generated revenue, such as motor vehicle fees, currently goes to non-transportation sources and agencies. With billions of dollars in unfunded road and bridge repairs, he argued that citizens should know where those tax dollars are actually going. House Bill 1489 passed 96-0 and will now go to the Oklahoma Senate for consideration.
Citizens Could Decide Open Carry
Oklahoma voters could decide whether or not to authorize the open carry of firearms under legislation approved by a House committee this week. House Bill 1796 calls for an election to determine if state law should be changed to allow citizens to openly carry firearms. Under the bill, Oklahomans with a valid handgun license (which would be the equivalent of the current concealed carry license) would have the right to carry a weapon openly without concealing it. Those with the license would have to undergo background checks and firearms training before being licensed. House Bill 1796 passed out of the House Public Safety Committee on a 17-0 vote today. It will next go to the floor of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
Lawmakers Approve Bill to Require Initiative Petitions to Identify Funding Source
Legislation approved by the Oklahoma House of Representatives would require initiative petitions that mandate new spending to identify a funding source. House Bill 1225 would require those submitting a petition to include a statement “outlining all sources of funding to be used in the measure.” House Bill 1225 passed by a vote of 52-46 and now proceeds to the Senate.
Committee Approves Bill to Improve Appropriations Process
Under legislation passed by a House committee this week, lawmakers would have more information before passing a state budget. House Bill 1422 authorizes the Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board to begin education employees’ insurance plan year on July 1, starting in 2012. Changing the insurance plan’s start date allows lawmakers to know the cost of the plan before they put together the state budget. In the past, it was not unusual for entities to have to ask for a supplemental due to rate increases when a new plan started in January – the halfway point of the fiscal year. It was also not unusual for the plan to be less than fully funded, requiring school districts to address the shortfall by diverting money from other school programs. House Bill 1422 was approved by the House Insurance Committee and will now proceed to the House floor for consideration.
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:
“Persistence is to the character of man as carbon is to steel.” –Napoleon Hill
Friday, March 4, 2011
Sharpen Your Crayons. It's Time to Draw the Lines.
Every ten years, we stop and do a head count of our nation’s population. We call it a census. Those census numbers tell us a lot of things, mainly which communities and areas have grown in population or have lost ground. Economic development experts, city planners, and those sort of folks can tell a lot by the numbers. Another major activity that happens with census numbers is a phenomenon called ‘redistricting’. It is a process by which the legislature redraws the boundary lines of House and Congressional districts. The idea is to leave each legislator with as equal a number of constituents as possible. This year’s census and the numbers that we are now digesting was a good news/bad news scenario. I do not think there were any surprises in census numbers or any areas where the population declined or grew. I do believe that in southwest Oklahoma, the numbers may not have been as accurate as they could have been. I am not placing blame or bad mouthing anyone. I just believe that the timing of the military growth in southwest Oklahoma was a little off beat with the census count. Again, no one’s fault, just I believe, the way the mop flops. The census count occurred just a little bit before the movement of troops and contractors into the greater Lawton area which caused a big amount of growth not only in Lawton but in the communities surrounding Lawton/Ft. Sill. There would be no reason for the agency that conducts the census count to be in any kind of harmony with the Department of Defense. They each have totally separate missions but I truly believe that dynamic was in play as the census count was being taken as the B.R.A.C. moves were in motion.
The good news is that Oklahoma will not lose a Congressional seat in this redistricting process. I am hearing that Texas may have gained two congressmen which always makes any good Oklahoman ask themselves the question “what is Texas doing that we may not be?” That may be a whole other article. For now, we know that we have held our own as far as the Washington, D.C. picture is concerned.
There have been areas in our southwest Oklahoma region that have gained some population. As far as our state House districts are concerned, I do not think we will see any major shifts here locally. The new number we will aim at for a state House district will be roughly 37,000 people. One of my duties this year is an appointment by the Speaker for me to serve as the Chairman of the Southern Oklahoma redistricting process. I will be in charge of making sure the numbers fit. Again, we will aim at 37,000 per House district for a 3% variance to try to equalize the number of constituents that each House member will serve. I do not foresee my district changing a lot because my 2010 number is 36,149. My district grew in some areas and lost in some areas while Representative Ann Coody who represents a good deal of Lawton as well as eastern Comanche County, grew by 679. Representative T.W. Shannon whose district is mostly west Lawton, lost 1,229. Representative Joe Dorman who serves much of eastern Comanche County and into the Rush Springs area, lost 1,611. Most of those districts, even with the slight gains and losses, are fairly close to the 3% variance that we must work within.
Each House member will go downstairs and work with the redistricting staff and draw lines of what they consider their ideal House district. My job will then be, as Chairman of the process, to make sure that each one of those districts fit within the guidelines. It is too early to tell what the changes will look like but I do believe that they will be slight and nothing “earth shattering”. I think each House member kind of becomes endeared to their district. I have been in office right at nine years and your communities become kind of like your kids. If you spend time as you should in your own district by attending events, school activities and even in my case, a lot of family gatherings, funerals and weddings, you would be hard pressed to move anybody out of a district. If you truly care about your people, you want to continue to care for them and their interests.
So, while the semi-bad news is that we have lost a small amount of population in our outlying areas, we have remained static enough that I do not see any major shifts. If you really like your state representative, you are probably going to keep he or she. The game gets a little more dicey when you move north from our area into areas that become even more rural because some of those areas have lost larger chunks of their population and the fact is, a guy who serves a remote district must grow towards that 37,000 magic number. It is an equalization process that must occur to keep the playing field somewhat level. It is always stressful but the law says we must complete the task. While it is too early to be specific, the process is underway. The crayons are sharpened and the computers are humming. Of course, we will let ya know how it turns out.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the Capitol, please do not hesitate to call
1-800-522-8502 or send an e-mail to donarmes@okhouse.gov.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“Perfect numbers like perfect men are very rare.” - Rene Descartes quotes
The good news is that Oklahoma will not lose a Congressional seat in this redistricting process. I am hearing that Texas may have gained two congressmen which always makes any good Oklahoman ask themselves the question “what is Texas doing that we may not be?” That may be a whole other article. For now, we know that we have held our own as far as the Washington, D.C. picture is concerned.
There have been areas in our southwest Oklahoma region that have gained some population. As far as our state House districts are concerned, I do not think we will see any major shifts here locally. The new number we will aim at for a state House district will be roughly 37,000 people. One of my duties this year is an appointment by the Speaker for me to serve as the Chairman of the Southern Oklahoma redistricting process. I will be in charge of making sure the numbers fit. Again, we will aim at 37,000 per House district for a 3% variance to try to equalize the number of constituents that each House member will serve. I do not foresee my district changing a lot because my 2010 number is 36,149. My district grew in some areas and lost in some areas while Representative Ann Coody who represents a good deal of Lawton as well as eastern Comanche County, grew by 679. Representative T.W. Shannon whose district is mostly west Lawton, lost 1,229. Representative Joe Dorman who serves much of eastern Comanche County and into the Rush Springs area, lost 1,611. Most of those districts, even with the slight gains and losses, are fairly close to the 3% variance that we must work within.
Each House member will go downstairs and work with the redistricting staff and draw lines of what they consider their ideal House district. My job will then be, as Chairman of the process, to make sure that each one of those districts fit within the guidelines. It is too early to tell what the changes will look like but I do believe that they will be slight and nothing “earth shattering”. I think each House member kind of becomes endeared to their district. I have been in office right at nine years and your communities become kind of like your kids. If you spend time as you should in your own district by attending events, school activities and even in my case, a lot of family gatherings, funerals and weddings, you would be hard pressed to move anybody out of a district. If you truly care about your people, you want to continue to care for them and their interests.
So, while the semi-bad news is that we have lost a small amount of population in our outlying areas, we have remained static enough that I do not see any major shifts. If you really like your state representative, you are probably going to keep he or she. The game gets a little more dicey when you move north from our area into areas that become even more rural because some of those areas have lost larger chunks of their population and the fact is, a guy who serves a remote district must grow towards that 37,000 magic number. It is an equalization process that must occur to keep the playing field somewhat level. It is always stressful but the law says we must complete the task. While it is too early to be specific, the process is underway. The crayons are sharpened and the computers are humming. Of course, we will let ya know how it turns out.
If you would like to contact me while I am at the Capitol, please do not hesitate to call
1-800-522-8502 or send an e-mail to donarmes@okhouse.gov.
And here’s a little something to think about as you go down the road:
“Perfect numbers like perfect men are very rare.” - Rene Descartes quotes
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