May 9, 2020 Issue, Page 4 of 12

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Page 4 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Saturday, May 9, 2020 Breaking down the budget Opinion Page “ElkCituNews Anniversary occurring from the Legislature Serving Western Oklahoma since 1901 By Joe Dorman, CEO, appropriated money into the million, or 2.5 percent, to ture will have five days to this week should not Oklahoma Child Advocacy Institute for budget, and agency appro- common education under consider an override of the priation reductions of 4 per- this proposal. Teacher pay veto or go back to the draw- be forgotten The Oklahoma Legislature returned to the State Capitol cent, or less in most cases. To help with the economic raises passed last year will not be impacted by cuts from ing board for adjustments. The Oklahoma Constitu- Monday to finalize budget downturn, Oklahoma has so the state. tion requires the Legislature plans for the upcoming fis- far received more than $1.25 Most other state agencies to adjourn for the year by the cal year, which will begin on billion in federal relief funds will receive reductions of final Friday in May. While July 1. The leadership of the for COVID-19 expenses. 4 percent or less, with core there is a large list for poli- House of Representatives Much of this money is ex- service agencies such as cy work, not many of those and the Senate, controlled bypected to solidify agency health care, public safety, bills will be considered with large Republican majorities, budgets for services tied to and transportation receiv- only four weeks to finish. held a press conference an- the pandemic. The Legisla- ing smaller reductions; other The lawmakers will focus nouncing their proposal. ture also noted they would agencies with mandatory up- on floor work this week with Budget reductions in the like daily updates on how coming spending obligations members voting remotely proposal are limited to 4 per- funding is allocated for the are held flat or even slightly from their office or by proxy cent or less amid the COV- portion distributed by the increased. with their party leadership. ID-19 pandemic, while see- Executive Branch outside of Budget leaders said they This is a new thing for the ing no cuts to services within their direct oversight. The used the projected $1.4 bil- Legislature, andit will be in- By Don Munsch, Editor the overall education system total budget proposal is $7.7 teresting to see how it plays lion revenue hole to build the A 75th anniversary of a major event passed Thursday in our state. There was no billion, which is $237.8 mil- budget.. Should the projec- out. with little fanfare. That event was the end of the World War II in Europe. discussion as to whether lion, or 3 percent, less than tion change, midyear budget The Oklahoma Institute The military surrender of Nazi Germany was signed on this budget was agreed to the FY 2020 budget. adjustments could be made for Child Advocacy was es- May 7, The Associated Press reported, as it was on scene. by Democratic lawmakers K-12 and higher educa- when lawmakers return in tablished in 1983 by a group Many countries celebrate Victory in Europe Day on May or Republican Gov. Kevin tion funding were prioritized February for the 2021 legis- of citizens seeking to create 8. Stitt. with this budget plan. With lative session, or earlier with a strong advocacy network Whatever the day, it’s a day that we should remember. Under the proposed bud- federal relief funds added in, a special session if needed. that would provide a voice The war in the Pacific would end a few months later. Someone visited The Elk City News this week and get, most of the $1.4 bil- common education is pro- The Legislature will con- for the needs of children and dropped off an edition of The Elk City Daily News from lion, or 17 percent, budget jected to receive more fund- sider this bill very quickly youth in Oklahoma, particu- May 7, 1945. reduction projected by the ing than this current year. to allow for time to negotiate larly those in the state’s care The front page of that edition of The News featured a state Board of Equalization Oklahoma’s $200 million with the governor regarding and those growing up amid mix of United Press and local stories, with the lead story for next year will be filled in pandemic relief money any concerns he might have poverty, violence, abuse and from UP containing comments from President Harry S. by using reserve funds, cut- for common education fully with this proposal. If a veto neglect, disparities, or other Truman, who told reporters that he agreed with London ting one-time spending, offsets the temporary state occurs with a section or for situations that put their lives and Moscow governments that he would “make no an- nouncements with reference to the surrender of the enemy temporarily redirecting non- funding reduction of $78.2 the entire plan, the Legisla- and future at risk. forces in Europe or elsewhere until a simultaneous state- ment can be made by the three governments. Until then, there is nothing I can or will say to you.” Also in that edition from UP was a story that said Fuhrer Karl Doenitz had “unconditionally surrendered ‘all Ger- Essential worker: Congress needs to man fighting troops” to the Allies. That copy of the paper included news from and about think about cleaners in next bailout local servicemen, including letters sent home. Here’s an excerpt of a letter from R.E. Daugherty, on duty in the By Annette Brown, The ting food as a single mother service cuts. on a fourth bailout, they USS Bush in the Pacific, to his parents Mr. and Mrs. R.L. Baltimore Sun of two, with the added re- We are desperately hang- should consider workers Daugherty in Elk City, in which he gives instructions about Before doctors and nurses sponsibility of caring for ing onto our jobs while like me who are on the front letters and said he is all right after the Bush sunk and he can begin their work treat- my 18-year-old sister. Every knowing it could get us, survived. lines of this pandemic. Cor- “Don’t write till I tell you because I am expecting my ing people who have CO- day, I consider the reality and our family sick, or even porations were bailed out, so mail to be fouled up for several months and I will get it VID-19, cleaners like me do that if I get sick, there would killed. Many of us who are it’s only right that the next quicker if you will just wait. the very hard and danger- be no money coming in for without access to employer- bailout focus on struggling “Thave been having ice cream nearly every day — got to ous task of disinfecting and the bills or my children. If provided health insurance workers like me. This means go to church last Sunday and am going again today, too. keeping every surface up toa I get sick and have to leave would face the unthink- Signed Robert.” critically safe standard. Ourmy kids, who is going to able if we were to get CO- essential pay and personal The visitor to our officer also left a December 1944 copy of Stars and Stripes, with this edition covering the Euro- work is essential to reduc- help provide for them? VID-19. How would we pay protective equipment for pean Theater of Operations. The lead story was about the ing the spread of this disease On top of the long hours, for treatment and expensive those of us who continue to Army attacks along the Saar Front. and we are risking our lives emotional pain and stress, I hospital stays? That’s why go to work every day, and A former colleague of mine, John Clift, worked for every time we go to work, still have to teach two kids. it’s crucial for essential layoff protection for those Stars and Stripes during the war. I worked with Clift at yet we receive no additional This leaves me only a few workers to maintain health who have lost their jobs or my first newspaper job, back in the middle 1990s. He pay, benefits or protection. hours to sleep each day. insurance benefits during the had their hours reduced and was still working shortly before he died. One of his Stars I get teary eyed and emo- While working on the front pandemic. will be called upon to work and Stripes colleauges was Andy Rooney, and as I leafed through this edition of Stars and Stripes, I found a story tional every time I leave the lines to combat COVID-19 Cleaners don’t just live once the economy reopens. written by Rooney, the former “60 Minutes” commentator. house, thinking I might not is affecting our families, es- in constant fear of contract- Essential workers are get- Ona personal note, one that revolves around newspapers make it. I try not to think sential pay would at least ing COVID-19 at work, but ting sick and dying as they and the World War II generation — or at least the folks who about how the color of my help with the bills and help those who haven’t already work to keep others safe. We grew up during that time— I just want to wish my mother a skin means I am already us feel appreciated. been laid off because of the happy Mother's Day, which falls on Sunday. She lives ina are scared and confused. It’s more likely to get sick and Providing cleaners essen- pandemic never know when time for someone to help try nursing home and I got word recently that she had not been receiving The Elk City News, for reasons too complicated die since the virus is kill- tial pay for the additional they might lose their job as to protect our lives and our to delve into here. So I mailed recent copies of the paper ing and sickening African level of risk would also help well. livelihoods as well. and the new GoWest magazine produced by the parent Americans at higher rates us stay on the job, and help And those of us who clean Annette Brown (allendar- company of The News to her address at the nursing center. than other races. us pay for the increasingly are not highly paid to begin I plan to make a change of address here at the office. There are times at work expensive price of getting with. Now that we are pay- rin2@ gmail.com) is an en- One of the most difficult aspects of dealing with the when I feel like I'm go- to work safely. Many of us ing the price with our health vironmental services worker COVID-19 pandemic is not knowing when a sense of nor- ing to break down. I almost have to drive or take ride and lives, we should at least for South Baltimore County malcy will return, including when one can visit relatives in nursing homes. turn around to go home, but shares to avoid extra expo- be paid our worth in return. Medical Center Kaiser Per- But at least, in addition to the phone, there is a newspa- there’s no other choice. sure on public transit, when When Congress returns manente Medical Center per that can help us stay in touch. I already need help get- it’s even possible after deep this week and begins work who lives in Baltimore. Thank this obscure law for a potential coronavirus vaccine By John T. Preston sult from federally funded ernment retained ownership owned patents were ever li- ing birth-control implants. Firms would stop spend- According to the Milken research, and then license of the patents resulting from censed to the private sector. Despite the law’s myriad ing such sums if the gov- Institute, over 70 treatments those patents to private- federally funded research. In short, Bayh-Dole has successes, some lawmak- ernment could arbitrarily for COVID-19 are already in sector companies that have For instance, if the National kept federally-funded re- ers have proposed weaken- seize the final products that clinical trials or progressing the resources to turn good Institutes of Health funded search from going to waste. ing it. They want to allow result from years or de- toward clinical trials. Sev- ideas into viable products. research into a protein at a My time at MIT showed me the government to “march cades of additional R&D. eral of the inventions behind The law has delivered an university lab, and then uni- the caliber of innovation that in” and seize patents on The pace of innovation this flurry of activity result- incredible return on taxpay- versity scientists patented canoccur when inventors can technologies or medicines would slow considerably. ed from government funded ers’ investment. American that finding, the govern- retain ownership of patents. they feel are overpriced. By facilitating closer co- research in U.S. universities. research universities’ patent ment would own the pat- Just look at high-definition Though their motives - operation between univer- This public-private cooper- awards have risen steadily ent. In theory, this ensured television, a relatively recent seeking to make medicines sity scientists and the private ation is our best hope of de- over the last four decades, that taxpayers would receive invention -- and the result and other products cheaper feating the virus. It’s also the increasing from just 390 in any royalties for patents the of both federal support and for consumers - are under- sector, Bayh-Dole has paved foundation of our entire drug 1980 to nearly 7,500 in 2017. government subsequently private-sector _ risk-taking. standable, their scheme the way for technologies development system. And it Bayh-Dole has contributed licensed out to companies. Controlled-release drug would backfire horribly. Americans could only dream wouldn't be possible with- over $1 trillion to America’s But in practice, the fed- technology was another Drug companies spent ofa few decades ago. It’s our out an obscure law known economic output and has eral government did a ter- groundbreaking invention a combined $180 billion best chance for a coronavi- as the Bayh-Dole Act. supported 4 million jobs and rible job of licensing pat- developed during my time on research and develop- rus cure. Tampering with the For 40 years, this bipar- more than 11,000 startups. ents to private firms, who at MIT. Controlled-release ment in 2018. That sum law makes no sense at all. tisan policy has allowed It'd be hugely counterpro- could then turn the findings technology makes possible dwarfs the National In- John T. Preston is former university and non-profit ductive to weaken the law, as into commercial products. such life-altering devices as stitutes of Health’s cur- Director of Technology Li- researchers to retain own- some politicians have urged. Prior to Bayh-Dole, just drug-eluting stents that un- rent annual spending censing at MIT and founder ershin of patents that re- Before Bavh-Dole. the gov- 5 percent of government- block arteries and long-last- of roughly $42 billion. of TEM Canital.