January 22, 2018

Senator Ikley-Freeman appointed to Education, Health, and Human Services Committees

January 22, 2018/ Scott Emigh

OKLAHOMA CITY - Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Schulz, R-Altus, on Thursday announced the full membership of Senate committees. The committee assignments are effective through the end of the 56th Legislature.

District 37 State Senator Allison Ikley-Freeman, who represents Sand Springs, was appointed to the following committees:

Education Committee
Health and Human Services Committee
Appropriations Subcommittee on Health

Ikley-Freeman, a Democrat, was elected in a November 2017 special election to fill the seat vacated by Republican Dan Newberry. Newberry's resignation becomes effective January 31st and Ikley-Freeman will be sworn into office on February 1st.

January 22, 2018

Governor Mary Fallin Amends Second Special Session Call

January 22, 2018/ Staff Reports

OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin amended the call of the second special session of the 56th Legislature, which has been in recess since Dec. 22.

The governor did not set a date when lawmakers would return to address the shortfall in the current fiscal year budget.

“Discussions are continuing about a revenue and reform plan, which seems to be growing in momentum,” said Fallin. “We’re excited that we have an opportunity to build some grass-roots support among our fellow Oklahomans to solve our budget crisis, to be able to put Oklahoma on a stable path forward, and to provide teachers a much-needed pay raise.”

The governor’s amended call asks lawmakers to consider providing a long-term revenue solution to the state’s budget shortfalls by:

Increasing the tax on cigarettes, and little cigars by $1.50 per pack, and an additional 10 percent on chewing tobacco and e-cigarettes;
Increasing the oil and gas gross production tax by increasing the rate on wells currently at 2 percent to 4 percent, and all future wells will begin at 4 percent for 36 months and move to 7 percent thereafter;
Implementing a renewable generation tax at $1.00 per MWH;
Increasing the rate on diesel and gasoline by 6 cents per gallon;
Imposing a dollar cap on transferability/cash refundability for coal, wind and railroad tax credits effective the 2018 tax year;
Expanding the definition of covered games in the model tribal gaming compact to include “non-house-banked table games;” and;
Reforming rates, exemptions, deductions and credits on the individual income tax code.

Other items in the governor's call are:

Creating an accountability office designed to expose waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayers’ dollars in state government;
Modifying the structure of state government and increasing accountability by replacing the appointing power of specified boards and commissions with granting the governor direct appointing authority over these specified agency directors. This can be accomplished by statutory change or by referring a constitutional change to a vote of the people when necessary, and;
Addressing a needed $5,000 pay increase for certified education staff, excluding any superintendents.

The items in the governor’s call mirror many of the items recommended by Step Up Oklahoma, a group of Oklahoma business and community leaders.

“I appreciate the efforts of these business and community leaders working together to build statewide, nonpartisan support to help the Legislature address teacher pay raises and fix our budget crisis,” Fallin said. “It is critical to our state's future to fix the budget's structural problems and put our state on a predictable, stable foundation for success. I’m optimistic, with the effort and determination shown by Step Up Oklahoma, that lawmakers can pass a realistic solution to the state’s current budget problem.”

January 18, 2018

City of Sand Springs announces annual Budget Fair

January 18, 2018/ Staff Reports

Sand Springs, OK - The City of Sand Springs announces an opportunity for citizens to provide input into annual budget priorities for the community. This year's Budget Fair will take place on Monday, January 22, 2018, from 5:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. at the Sand Springs Municipal Building, 100 E. Broadway, in downtown Sand Springs. This come and go event will take place on the second floor.

Departmental leaders including police, fire, parks, public works and more will be on-hand to listen to citizen input and help answer questions about annual operations and explain typical annual budget priorities. The Sand Springs City Council and City staff extend this important public opportunity to residents living within the corporate limits of Sand Springs to participate in the creation of the upcoming Fiscal Year 2019 Budget. The City's annual budget year begins on July 1, 2018, and runs through June 30, the following year.

For more information about the City of Sand Springs, please visit www.sandspringsok.org and www.seesandsprings.com and follow the City on Facebook for the latest updates.

January 18, 2018

Sharp files special election funding legislation

January 18, 2018/ Staff Reports

OKLAHOMA CITY – Gov. Mary Fallin called nine special elections last year following legislators leaving office mid-term. In an effort to protect taxpayer dollars, Sen. Ron Sharp has filed legislation to use the remaining campaign funds of departing members to pay for their districts’ special elections.

“When we run for office, we take an oath to uphold Oklahoma’s Constitution and serve our constituents faithfully,” said Sharp, R-Shawnee. “Taxpayers shouldn’t be burdened with a large special election bill when someone quits midterm to seek other opportunities or they’re removed from office because of legal or ethical issues. This bill will remove some of that taxpayer burden by using members’ remaining campaign funds to cover some of the costs of special elections.”

Senate Bill 1006 would place the members’ campaign funds in the State Election Board Revolving Fund up to the amount incurred by the state for conducting the Special Election.

According to the Oklahoma Election Board, special elections for the House of Representatives cost, on average, $8,000 to $12,000 for a primary or general and double that amount for both. A Senate primary or general special election costs an estimated $18,000 to $22,000 and twice that if both are necessary.

Special elections are called when members resign mid-term, are expelled by the legislature through a two-thirds vote or are removed from office because of ethical or legal issues.

After leaving office, any campaign funds not obligated for campaign or officeholder expenses can be retained for future campaigns (for the next succeeding term for the same office or for a different state elective office, excluding a judicial office), donated to a charitable organization, returned to any contributor in the amount they donated, contributed to a political party committee up to $25,000 or used to purchase item(s) to donate to a charitable organization. Members may also donate leftover funds directly to the state as well as any county, city, town or school district.

January 15, 2018

This Week in Sand Springs (1/14 - 1/20/18)

January 15, 2018/ Staff Reports

Monday

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Tuesday

1:30 p.m. Sand Springs/Sapulpa Joint Board Meeting
- Sand Springs Public Works Administration Building
  Conference Room 10
  13101 West 46th Street
- Click here to view agenda.
6:00 p.m. Sand Springs Cultural & Historical Museum Trust Authority Meeting
- Sand Springs Museum
  Genealogy Room, Lower Level
  9 East Broadway
- Click here to view agenda.
6:00 p.m. No. 9 Lady Sandite Basketball v. Broken Arrow (H)
- Ed Dubie Field House
  500 North Adams Road
7:00 p.m. No. 6 Sandite Wrestling v. No. 2 Broken Arrow (H)
- Clyde Boyd Middle School
  305 West 35th Street
8:00 p.m. No. 9 Sandite Basketball v. No. 1 Broken Arrow (H)
- Ed Dubie Field House
  500 North Adams Road

Wednesday

4:00 p.m. Sand Springs Development Authority Meeting
- Sand Springs Municipal Building
  City Council Chambers, Room 203
  100 East Broadway
- Click here to view agenda.

Thursday

7:00 p.m. No. 6 Sandite Wrestling v. Muskogee/Bartlesville/Enid (H)
- District Quadrangle
- Ed Dubie Field House
  500 North Adams Road

Friday

8:00 a.m. Ram Duals Wrestling Tournament
- Owasso High School
  12901 East 86th Street
  Owasso, OK 74055

Saturday

8:00 a.m. Ram Duals Wrestling Tournament
- Owasso High School
  12901 East 86th Street
  Owasso, OK 74055
5:30 p.m. 12th Annual Sandite Baseball Karaoke Competition & Chili Cookoff
- Charles Page High School Auditorium
  500 North Adams Road

Add your event to our weekly newsletter. Email SanditePrideNews@gmail.com

Free for nonprofit/free/charitable events.
$5 fee for for-profit events.

January 07, 2018