At the end of the day ...

Opinion

May 30, 2009

By Rep. Terry Harrison The McAlester News-Capital Sat May 30, 2009, 12:43 PM CDT

As the House of Representatives was in its closing days of work, I found myself taking in the beauty of the House Chamber, reminding me of the important work that each representative is sent to the Capitol to do for the people from his/her district. The Chamber is a sacred and honorable place to the elected members. With that said, I could not control my laughter when the Chair of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee announced to the membership that Oklahoma was in good fiscal shape, compared to the rest of the country, because of the prudent fiscal management of House Republicans since they took control of the Legislature. Whom is he trying to fool with a statement like that?

The lifeblood of Oklahoma’s financial position is the strength of the oil and gas industry. The high price of natural gas and oil in recent years has spurred drilling activity across Western and Southeastern Oklahoma. In good fiscal years, gross production taxes have filled the state coffers and have made a robust economy. District 18 does not have to look further than our local commerce to confirm the downturn in drilling activity.

My hat is off to Gov. Brad Henry for his approach to the budget and his “hands off” policy on the Rainy Day Fund. If we think the economy is bad now, the potential is there for it to be much worse in the coming fiscal year. We absolutely are going to need the maximum allowable in the Rainy Day to fund essential services for Oklahomans.

I hate paying taxes as much as the next person. If I make a dollar, I want to keep it for my family’s needs. However, I am a realist and know that a portion of each dollar I earn must go to help my country. I don’t want my tax dollars wasted on AIG and big bailouts for failed management. But there are so many needs that are truly “priceless.” If my tax dollars go to fund water treatment facilities in rural Oklahoma, to supplement costs for seniors’ health care, or to help hurting blue collar workers, I can live with that. I have no fear of North Korea because our tax dollars fund the Department of Defense, the Joint Chiefs, the uniformed soldier. Being an American comes with a price tag; our freedom is not free.

I am upset and concerned about the recent events in McIntosh County. I hate the bad publicity and the distrust that comes with disappointment. This chain of events is not representative of the many good people in McIntosh County. I have complete confidence in the McIntosh County commissioners to put the right person in the sheriff’s office. The people of District 18 are resilient; we will move on and look forward to better days ahead.

On a personal note, the last few days have been amazing. I have watched the sunrise in Pittsburg County, have been in the cafes and coffee shops visiting with the best people in Oklahoma, and, perhaps most important, I have been working and playing with my little boys. It’s good to be home.

If you need to contact me during the interim, please call the law office (918-423-2400) or my Capitol office (405-557-7376/800-522-8502). If I am in the hay field or practicing law, my employees will know how to put us in touch. Thank you for the awesome honor and responsibility of representing you at the State Capitol these past seven years.

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