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Quotes of the Day
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“Our families are used to being the ones that are always on the sidelines. We want to help them realize they don’t have to stand on the sidelines for the rest of their lives.”
Susan Agel, president and principal of Positive Tomorrows, Oklahoma’s only school exclusively serving families and children experiencing homelessness [The Oklahoman]
“The cash bail system in this country has created nothing short of a human rights crisis. It is what holds the overwhelming majority of people in jail regardless of guilt or innocence, and it is the oil that keeps the machine of assembly line justice running and churning out millions of people every year with criminal records that sink them deeper into poverty.”
-Robin Steinberg, co-founder and executive director of the Bail Project and Still She Rises [The Oklahoman]
“We have to provide communities where (recently released justice-involved individuals are) getting the resources they need and they’re being inspired.”
-Robin Wertz, site director for Exodus House [StateImpact Oklahoma]
“I think the tribes have seen an appreciable increase in non-gaming entities. Clearly, gaming is a large portion of their revenue, (but) I expect it to continue to shrink over time in terms of overall revenues, because the tribes recognize their need to diversify and they have strong desire to get into other businesses.”
-Kyle Dean, Director of the Center for Native American and Urban Studies at Oklahoma City University [The Journal Record]
“Our state has had no problem providing millions in tax credits and other benefits to various industries and entities over the years. It’s time to start providing our state retirees with a regular (cost of living adjustment) and show them the respect they deserve and have earned through their dedication and service to the state of Oklahoma.”
-State Sen. Ron Sharp, R-Shawnee, about his proposed legislation that would give state retirees their first cost of living adjustment since 2008 [The Journal Record ????]
“What you’re seeing in Oklahoma, and what you’ve seen for the past 10 years now, is that we’re cutting services. We’re never going to get to the Top 10 if we don’t start having a conversation about how we can invest more in our people.”
-Rep. Emily Virgin, D-Norman [The Oklahoman]
“By not paying them a fair wage, you’re not just hurting inmates. You’re hurting victims who can’t get paid their restitution, and you’re hurting children whose parents are not getting paid their child support.”
-House Majority Floor Leader Rep. Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City, about Oklahoma prison labor contracts [NonDoc]
“I’ve seen generations of people come through the justice system, and it affects all of us.”
-Greg Williams, Chief Executive Officer of the Oklahoma County Jail Authority [The Journal Record ????]
“Let’s be careful that we aren’t putting forward legislation that impacts certain vulnerable communities in a negative way.”
-Sen. George Young, D-Oklahoma City, about his proposed legislation that would require a racial impact statement to accompany any bill that would lengthen sentences, create a new offense or change penalties for existing offenses [The Oklahoman]
“Clearly, these companies have turned a blind eye to the death and devastation they were causing in Oklahoma and around the nation.”
-Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter, announcing additional lawsuits against opioid manufacturers [NonDoc]
