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Today you should know that Governor Fallin’s office denied a rumor that the Governor is considering outgoing State Superintendent Janet Barresi for her Secretary of Education. A Jenks school administrator said the district is not scrambling to adopt a new set of standards after the repeal of Common Core, because they will continue using their own Continuum of Standards. David Blatt’s Journal Record column discussed how huge tax cuts in Kansas have opened a deep budget hole while not showing any signs of boosting the economy. On the OK Policy Blog, we look at the data to see whether term limits have actually changed how long legislators serve in Oklahoma.
Oklahoma prosecutors accused the Pardon and Parole Board of having an anti-victim and anti-district attorney bias, but they also appealed to legislative leaders and Governor Fallin to increase funding for the agency. Oklahoma City police said they continue to be overburdened with transporting psychiatric patients across the state because Oklahoma has not funded enough mental health beds. Oklahoma Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Colbert said that dozens of bills introduced in the state Legislature this year would have had a “lethal and devastating” effect on Oklahoma’s judiciary if enacted into law.
State Rep. Fred Jordan asked the Oklahoma Supreme Court to get involved in the race for Tulsa County District Attorney. Another candidate for the DA position, Steve Kunzweiler, has challenge Rep. Jordan’s candidacy based on a constitutional ban on lawmakers being elected to any office in which the pay had been increased during the lawmaker’s term. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control said they continue to oppose a state question to legalize marijuana but are preparing for its possible passage.
Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt said some state agencies are concerned about potential legal complications from unaccompanied children being housed at Fort Sill, in light of a state law banning the use of state money to provide services to people who enter the country illegally. Federal officials have previously said few if any of the children at Fort Sill will wind up in Oklahoma. Minors appearing in immigration courts without attorneys are deported 90 percent of the time while those with lawyers are removed at a rate of 54 percent, according to an analysis released Tuesday by a New York-based nonprofit. A group of TU law students have joined the “Immigration Rights Project” to help represent the children at Fort Sill.
The Number of the Day is how many Oklahoma high schools had a dropout rate above 40 percent for the Class of 2012. In today’s Policy Note, CNN Money discusses how the prosperity of the American middle class has fallen below Japan, Canada, Australia and much of Western Europe, even as a few very wealthy Americans skew the average wealth upwards.
In The News
Fallin’s office says Barresi not being considered for secretary of education
State Rep. Joe Dorman issued a news release Wednesday evening slamming Gov. Mary Fallin on her education policies and accusing her of considering the appointment of outgoing State Superintendent Janet Barresi as secretary of education. But Fallin’s spokesman dismissed Dorman’s press release as “baseless and silly,” and he accused the Democratic nominee for governor of starting the rumor about Barresi himself as a way to trump up publicity for his campaign. Robert Sommers, whom Fallin appointed as secretary of education in June 2013, announced Tuesday that he would resign in August.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Tulsa Area School Districts Not Scrambling After Oklahoma Repeals Common Core
The Oklahoma Supreme Court has spoken. Tuesday, it ruled the state legislature did not violate the constitution when it repealed Common Core education standards for English and Math. Some think the ruling puts schools back at square one, but one district said students likely won’t notice any difference in the classroom this school year. Shan Glandon, Head of Curriculum for Jenks Public Schools, said the district is not scrambling to build a new set of standards for the upcoming school year. Instead, Glandon said they’re sticking to what has worked for them over the past few years, the Jenks Public Schools Continuum of Standards.
Prosperity Policy: Critical condition
Two years ago, when Kansas enacted one of the largest tax cuts ever passed by a state, Gov. Sam Brownback bragged: “Our new pro-growth tax policy will be like a shot of adrenaline into the heart of the Kansas economy.” Kansas slashed its top income tax rate and eliminated all taxation of so-called pass-through business profits. Tax cut advocates pointed to Kansas as a model for Oklahoma and other states. But the aftermath of Kansas’ tax cuts are looking more like a model of what not to do. The tax cuts have left the Kansas budget in shambles.
Read more from The Journal Record.
Did term limits really change how long Oklahoma legislators serve?
In September 1990, Oklahoma voters, by an overwhelming margin, approved State Question 632 which limited service in the Oklahoma legislature to no more than twelve years in the House of Representatives and Senate combined. The new term limits took effect in 2002 and did not apply to time already served. The first group of legislators subject to SQ 632 hit their term limits in 2004 (for House members and Senators elected in 1992) and in 2006 (for Senators elected in 1994). Oklahoma political observers are in near unanimous agreement that term limits have had profound and far-ranging effects on the Oklahoma legislature.
Read more from the OK Policy blog.
Prosecutors criticize Oklahoma Pardon and Parole board, call for more funding
After airing a lengthy list of complaints about the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board, prosecutors voted on Wednesday to appeal to legislative leaders and Gov. Mary Fallin in an effort to obtain more money for the agency. “The Legislature has left this agency hanging,” Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater said at the District Attorneys Council’s monthly meeting in Norman. Mike Fields, district attorney for Garfield, Blaine, Canadian, Grant and Kingfisher counties, accused the Pardon and Parole Board of having an anti-victim and anti-district attorney bias.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Oklahoma officials say state needs more mental health funding
Oklahoma has the second highest mental illness rate in the United States and not enough funding to deal with it, according to the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. Much of the logistical burden in finding a place for psychiatric patients to stay is falling on the shoulders of Oklahoma City police. Officers are being tasked with transporting psychiatric patients to facilities across the state. On Wednesday, every bed at the disposal of ODMHSAS within Oklahoma City was full.
Oklahoma’s Chief Justice Warns Judges To Talk To Their Constituents
Dozens of bills introduced in the state Legislature this year would have had a “lethal and devastating” effect onOklahoma’s judiciary if enacted into law, the state’s chief justice warned judges Wednesday. Chief Justice Tom Colbert told judges to talk to their constituents — especially local lawmakers — about the impact that some of the proposed changes could have on their ability to carry out the rule of law, such as how judges are selected and retained. “We can no longer sit at the banks of the courthouse steps waiting for prosperity and normalcy to come to us,” Colbert said at the 2014 Judicial Conference in Norman.
Referee hears arguments in Tulsa County District Attorney dispute
State Rep. Fred Jordan on Wednesday asked the Oklahoma Supreme Court to get involved in the race for Tulsa County District Attorney. He and Steve Kunzweiler, chief of the criminal division for the Tulsa County DA’s office, are headed for an Aug. 26 runoff to determine who will replace Tim Harris as the county’s top prosecutor. No Democrat filed for the post. Kunzweiler filed suit in Oklahoma County District Court asking that Jordan, R-Jenks, be prohibited from running for the office based on a constitutional provision that bars lawmakers during the term for which he or she was elected to be elected to any office in which the pay had been increased during the lawmaker’s term.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Bureau of Narcotics: Object To Initiative To Legalize Marijuana But Prepare For Passage
As the petition to put the legalization of marijuana on the ballots for a vote are still circulating, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control is standing its ground in opposition of the question but preparing for its possible passage. Executive Director Darrell Weaver said during Tuesday’s board meeting that “we’re all aware that this petition is out there” and that “probably this and prescription drugs, is the number one thing that most states are addressing.” “This is our game plan on this,” said Weaver. “We’re monitoring this very closely. We are gathering information right now. We have analysts that are gathering information…getting our ammunition together.”
Pruitt calls for ‘transparency’ regarding placement of Fort Sill juveniles
Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt said Wednesday that some state agencies are concerned about potential legal complications arising from unaccompanied juveniles housed at Fort Sill, particularly in light of state law banning the use of state money to provide services to people who enter the country illegally. Pruitt said that lack of communications concerns some state agencies, particularly the Department of Human Services. Officials have previously said few if any of the juveniles at Fort Sill will wind up in Oklahoma, but Pruitt said the state should be given more definitive information.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
At least half of all juvenile undocumented immigrants ordered deported, nonprofit finds
Minors appearing in immigration courts without attorneys are deported 90 percent of the time while those with lawyers are removed at a rate of 54 percent, according to an analysis released Tuesday by a New York-based nonprofit. As 60,000 to 90,000 unaccompanied children and teens from Central America are expected to be apprehended at the Mexican border by the end of the fiscal year, focus is turning to how their cases will be handled. Data and officials are saying the backlogs in immigration courts is expected to grow. All detained undocumented youth are entered into deportation proceedings. The judges are under the U.S. Department of Justice while the prosecutors are in the immigration system within the Department of Homeland Security.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Tulsa University law students join organization to help children kept at Fort Sill
If all goes as planned TU law students will represent the children at Fort Sill as their fates are determined by our legal system. The students are part of an organization called the “Immigration Rights Project.” As the news broke about the problem at Fort Sill concerns grew about the children staying there. Faculties here at the project are concerned that the kids will be pushed through the system in an effort to reopen facilities. “A lot of people are talking about the arrival of these children in Oklahoma and I think it’s really important for the students to be able to be educated and informed about these issues so they can present another side to the story when they’re out there in the community,” said Elizabeth McCormick, TU director of Clinical Education Programs.
Quote of the Day
“We can no longer sit at the banks of the courthouse steps waiting for prosperity and normalcy to come to us. Though we are separate in our respective branches of government, all of us are tied together by the shared thread of public service and united by a common vision, and that is the administration of justice.”
– Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Tom Colbert, in a speech warning Oklahoma judges that several proposed bills in the Legislature could have had a “lethal and devastating” effect on Oklahoma’s judiciary (Source: http://bit.ly/1jA1qhI)
Number of the Day
6
Number of Oklahoma high schools with a dropout rate above 40 percent for the Class of 2012.
Source: Oklahoma Educational Indicators Program.
See previous Numbers of the Day here.
Policy Note
America’s middle class: Poorer than you think
Rich Americans. That’s our global reputation. The numbers seem to back it up. Americans’ average wealth tops $301,000 per adult, enough to rank us fourth on the latest Credit Suisse Global Wealth report. But that figure doesn’t tell you how the middle class American is doing. Americans’ median wealth is a mere $44,900 per adult — half have more, half have less. That’s only good enough for 19th place, below Japan, Canada, Australia and much of Western Europe. “Americans tend to think of their middle class as being the richest in the world, but it turns out, in terms of wealth, they rank fairly low among major industrialized countries,” said Edward Wolff, a New York University economics professor who studies net worth.
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