Quotes of the Day

“Not only is it cutting money — it’s also cutting independence for people like myself.”

-Aracely Baeza, a recent University of Oklahoma graduate who has congenital muscular dystrophy and depends on Medicaid to maintain her motorized wheelchair, speaking about Oklahoma’s cuts to the program even as the state is turning down billions in federal funds (Source: http://bit.ly/1rhTuUu)

“Removing the sales tax on gold and silver purchases shorts the state treasury from revenue for priorities such as schools, roads and public safety in an effort to pander to the gold bugs. … In fact, there is nothing special about gold and silver except that they are rare, coveted and historically associated with value. Their real value is merely as a superstitious hedge against economic catastrophe.”

-The Tulsa World editorial board, on a new state law that declares gold and silver to be legal tender in Oklahoma and exempts them from sales tax (Source: http://bit.ly/1rbVGwF). The tax break is estimated to cost the state $930,000 in the next budget year.

“If we lose that funding, it’ll be a huge overtime issue, and remove officers from the streets. You’ll see a lot less man hours on the streets.”

-Duncan Police Chief Danny Ford, speaking about state budget cuts that threaten to force layoffs of more than half of the staff at the city’s Community Intervention Center, which handles juveniles arrested for crimes (Source: http://bit.ly/1r5hxpu)

“I made some of the toughest votes today that I’ve ever made in my life. I’m against every one of these rules but I can’t help it.”

-Former Sen. George Miller, a member of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority Board, speaking about their votes to slash provider rates, increase copayments, and reduce services for Medicaid. With flat state funding and lawmakers refusing to accept federal funds offered under the Affordable Care Act, Oklahoma Medicaid is facing a $225 million shortfall this year (Source: http://bit.ly/1vbZ4Fp).

“We’re seeing the demographic impact of two booms. The population in the Great Plains energy boom states is becoming younger and more male as workers move in seeking employment in the oil and gas industry, while the U.S. as a whole continues to age as the youngest of the baby boom generation enters their 50s.”

-Census Bureau Director John Thompson, speaking about new Census data that shows Oklahoma is one of only seven states that grew younger last year (Source: http://bit.ly/1sHx9S2)

“This is not a border security issue. These children are surrendering at the border to get out of harm’s way.”

– Drew Diamond, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Tulsa. Diamond and other members of Tulsa’s faith communities gathered Tuesday to discuss humanitarian needs of the immigrant children being held at Fort Sill (Source: http://bit.ly/1nBIDiN)

“If you have the data you can show one of two things. The prison system can show it does what we say it does and the folks were sufficiently anesthetized or we can show it doesn’t do what we say it does. Without the data, I don’t understand how anyone could come to the conclusion that it meets the constitutional test.”

– Frank Romanelli, professor and associate dean at the University of Kentucky’s College of Pharmacy. An investigation from the Tulsa World reports that many executions have not followed protocol, but without autopsies or timely tests, it is impossible to determine if inmates died according to the manner intended by the execution protocol (Source: http://bit.ly/V7GOmd)

“In one of the hottest primary contests of 2012, Jim Bridenstine upset incumbent Rep. John Sullivan when 25 percent of the District 1 Republican voters showed up in the primary. It gets worse. In 2009, Dewey Bartlett and some city councilors were elected by 30 percent of the voters, and that was in a general election. Then, in 2011, one of the biggest turnovers in City Council history was decided by 16 percent of voters. That was followed in 2013 when 36 percent of the electorate re-elected Bartlett over former Mayor Kathy Taylor.”

-Tulsa World columnist Mike Jones, who wrote that low turnout in Oklahoma elections is empowering the extremist fringe (Source: http://bit.ly/1wmygVz)

“This year’s budget is filled with many questionable money grabs and accounting gimmicks. Lawmakers had to resort to unorthodox tactics because they were unwilling to close tax loopholes and end unnecessary tax breaks that are draining revenue. Balancing the budget by raiding a scholarship trust fund is one broken promise that must not be allowed to stand.”

– OK Policy Executive Director David Blatt, writing about the legislature’s decision to raid the Oklahoma Promise scholarship fund in an attempt to balance the budget. Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt said Thursday that the revenue transfer was unlawful (Source: http://bit.ly/1lDNinz)

“What we’re finding is that the marketplace is working for Oklahomans. Consumers have more choices, and they’re paying less for their premiums. When there is choice and competition, everybody benefits.”

-U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell, speaking about a report showing Affordable Care Act tax credits reduced average premiums for insurance bought on Healthcare.gov to $75 per month (Source: http://bit.ly/1vVwLNT)