March 12, 2019 Issue, Page 4 of 10

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Serving Western Oklahoma Since 1901 A sensible judicial reform bill Oklahoma ScissorTales: The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City Annual ‘Federal Fumbles’ The urban-rural divide that’s been a part of the Legis- lature since statehood has been evident to a degree this session in reaction to a common-sense bill to change the report illuminating districts used to select nominees to the Oklahoma Supreme Court and Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. The Oklahoman not be business as usual at innovation, particularly then there are a host of other When thejudiciary committees in the House and Senate the Capitol if he became when the politician is call- assorted officeholders seek- approved House Bill 2366 and Senate Bill 973, respectively, With the fourth volume of governor. Stitt is following ing for greater regulation of ing the presidency, including the votes were largely split along urban-rural lines. The full his “Federal Fumbles” report, through on that in little, but industries. In many instances, South Bend, Indiana Mayor House approved HB 2366 on Wednesday, 70-26. issued this week, Sen. James noticeable ways. One ex- “progress” and “government Pete Buttigieg, former sec- The bills seek to create five judicial districts mirroring Lankford has provided tax- ample was his State of the oversight” don’t belong in the retary of Housing and Urban Oklahoma’s congressional districts. Presently the state is payers a service by highlight- State speech. After delivering same sentence. Development Julian Castro, ing how poorly their money it, Stitt made his way out of Another round of criticism and U.S. Reps. John Del- divided into nine judicial districts, reflecting the number of can be managed once it gets the House chamber rather for Omar aney of Maryland and Tulsi congressional districts Oklahoma had in 1967 when voters to Washington. quickly -- a departure from Freshman U.S. Rep. Than Gabbard of Hawaii. A few changed the way appellate court nominees were selected. ‘The report noted that the traditional lingering for Omar, D-Minn., continues other big names are mulling Reshaping the districts, proponents say, would expand the burdensome and overcompli- handshakes and pleasantries to draw the wrath of fellow campaigns, and several non- pool of potential candidates to seats on these courts. Op- cated forms for federal grant with lawmakers. This week Democrats. Omar apologized traditional candidates have ponents counter that this change would harm rural parts of reporting make it difficult he made it a point to drop in awhile back after saying tossed their names in the ring. the state. Rep. David Perryman, D-Chickasha, said early in to track how the money is on the fifth annual “Muslim the Jewish lobby has too At this rate, states will have the session there is the potential to “end up with a bunch of spent. Consequently, you can Day at the Capitol,” surpris- much clout in Washington, to set aside more money for urban attorneys who don’t understand rural Oklahoma” and wind up with such things as a ing those in attendance in but got into a Twitter tussle next year’s primaries because ultimately the Supreme Court “would not reflect the people $50,400 grant to a professor the Senate chamber. Stitt last weekend with Rep. Nita extra ballots will be needed at Sonoma State University to introduced himself, shook Lowey, D-N.Y., after saying simply to print all the Demo- of the state of Oklahoma who actually have cases before study the Russian wine indus- afew hands and welcomed Jewish lawmakers have an cratic candidates’ names. them.” try in the late 18th and early those on hand. “If different allegiance to Israel. Harvard Noteworthy comparisons of That's painting with a broad brush, and discounts the idea 19th centuries. Or grants groups are going to take their law professor Alan Dershow- states and taxes that attorneys who practice in urban areas may have grown totaling $725,000 (since time to come to the Capitol, itz criticized Omar for the In state politics, it is often up in rural Oklahoma or may spend considerable time out- 2001) for a California town’s I think it’s my responsibility same thing, asking, “Would said that Oklahoma is a low- side the city areas. mariachi master apprentice as governor to come welcome you accuse somebody of dual tax state. This statement is A breakdown of Oklahoma Bar Association members program. The report noted them and say hello and say loyalty if they supported Eng- usually uttered by those who in the nine judicial districts underscores why this effort is a $30 million authorization we're all Oklahomans,” Stitt land, if they supported France view low taxes as a problem underway. District 3 (Oklahoma County) has 41 percent of by Congress in September said. Kudos. and other American allies?” and want them increased. But OBA members and District 6 (Tulsa County) has 28 percent. 2017 for IT repair at Veter- ‘An example of govern- Dershowitz also said on Fox by many rankings, Oklahoma ans Administration regional ment ‘progress’ Bloomberg News that Omar’s 2018 cam- isn’t as low-tax as it is often Of the 13,436 OBA members statewide, those two districts offices that process GI Bill Businessweek reports that paign was a “bait and switch” stereotyped. The finance site are home to 9,305. claims. The VA says it won’t the city assessor's office in because she didn’t note her WalletHub recently ranked On the other hand, District 2, comprising what used to be be on compliance with the San Francisco has a property anti-Israeli stance. “She told states based on where people called “Little Dixie” and from which Supreme Court Justice legislation until December tax system that dates “to the her constituents when she in different income brackets Patrick Wyrick was selected, has just 2.52 percent of all the of this year, and Lankford’s dawn of the floppy disk.” The ran that she would support ‘spend the most and least state’s OBA members. District 4, from which Justice Yvonne report says the agency “is magazine says city apprais- America, and she is not,” he on sales and excise taxes, Kauger was selected, comprises 17 counties in northwest- experiencing a slew of IT ers “work with software that said. Those constituents will property taxes and income ern Oklahoma and is home to just 3.04 percent of the OBA’s delays when it processes GI runs on a dead programming have the chance in 2020 to let taxes. For low-income earn- membership. Bill benefits for veterans and language and can’t be used Omar know how they feel. ers, Oklahoma was among the SB 973 and HB 236 call for one Supreme Court justice their dependents.” with a mouse. Assessors are Along Democratic list highest-tax states, ranking in Oh, the partial government prone to make mistakes when continues to grow the bottom seven. WalletHub to be chosen from each ofthe state’s congressional dis- shutdown that lasted 35 days? using the vintage software This week former Colorado found low-income Oklaho- tricts, with the other four being chosen at-large. The Court It cost taxpayers roughly $11 because it can’t display all Gov. John Hickenlooper mans pay 11.54 percent of of Criminal Appeals’ districts also would line up with the billion. Lankford, R-Oklaho- the basic information for a announced he will seek the their income in taxes. For congressional districts. ma City, noted that govern- given property on one screen. Democratic presidential nom- middle-class and higher- Several judicial reform ideas have been pitched in recent ment spending is necessary. ‘The staffers have to open and ination in 2020, joining fellow income earners, the state was years, including age limits, term limits and revamping the “It’s not that we don’t need exit several menus to input Gov. Jay Inslee of Washing- better, but not dramatically Judicial Nominating Commission, which is used to vet and agovernment; we do need a stuff as simple as addresses.” ton as a candidate. There so. Oklahoma ranked 39th recommend appellate court nominees. While those all left good government,” he said. Bloomberg reports that are also six U.S. senators and 31st for those two groups, something to be desired, this reform idea makes the most “We just need an efficient similarly obsolete technol- running: Cory Booker of New respectively. Earners from sense because it would produce a deeper pool of candidates government.” That efficiency, ogy is used by “cities across Jersey, Kirsten Gillibrand of all income groups paid less clearly, is lacking in many the U.S.” Americans should New York, Kamala Harris of in taxes in Texas, especially from which to choose. All of Oklahoma would benefit from areas. A different way of do- remember that whenever California, Amy Klobuchar of high-income earners whose that. ing things a politician claims more Minnesota, Bernie Sanders of investments drive economic House approval of HB 2366 is encouraging. This change Kevin Stitt promised dur- government control will Vermont and Elizabeth War- growth. Policymakers would needs to make its way to the governor’s desk. ing his campaign that it would boost economic growth and ren of Massachusetts. And do well to note this reality. new system, schools have School grades prompt concern goal for middle-class black separate academic goals students barely exceeded the for various student groups. target for kids with learn- Perhaps understandably, The Oklahoman “distributed on a bell curve.” performance, but an arbi- Finding even a single there are lower school goals ing disabilities. That seems According to Department of trary cutoff. In past years, school’s letter grade is more for low-income students, designed only to inflate school What does it say that Okla- Education figures, around 5 the Department of Education work than you might expect. and English language leamers, grades, and the threat of homa’s supposedly improved percent of schools (79 sites) provided school grade infor- When you click on the link for children with disabilities. mation in a searchable excel an individual school’s report Students from all races fall- racial discrimination lawsuits A-F school report cards received an F and about 5 ing into those categories are looms. grade schools on a curve? percent (87) got an A, about spreadsheet, allowing citizens card, the first thing you see While there are now fewer 25 percent were given aD, 25 to sort schools by letter grade is the name of the principal. lumped together. ‘The A-F school grading sys- Aschools, many previously percent were given a, and and compare grade-level You must scroll past a “dash- But then the system sets tem has value. Parents rou- F-graded schools are appar- 40 percent were given aC. peers. An agency release board” of assorted items and separate academic goals for ently inflated out of the bot- Does this mean the number says this year’s grades are subcategory grades before the remaining children based tinely refer to school grades, tom category. of F schools declined nearly “searchable by school, dis- finding the school’s overall on race alone. Thus, schools and that public awareness When school report cards 55 percent? It’s more likely trict address or county.” No- grade buried at the bottom of have different academic pressures schools to address were last issued in 2016, there many F schools were bumped tably, no mention is made of the page. goals for middle-class black shortcomings. But parents were 196 A schools and 213 to ahigher status, regardless searching statewide by letter As we've noted, the sys- students than for middle- F schools. Now, the Tulsa of results. The difference grade, and that option doesn’t tem’s use of race-based goals class white students. An early deserve better than this re- World reports grades are between an F and aD was not appear to be available. Why? is also troubling. Under the simulation even showed the vamped grading system.