Gasonomics
If natural gas gets any cheaper, the energy industry will have to pay people to take it. The government is already paying people to buy CNG-burning vehicles, but more people need to take advantage of it. Natural gas prices have been hovering around $2 per 1,000 cubic feet. Compressed Natural Gas prices are below $2 per gallon of gasoline equivalent. The state offers a generous income tax credit for the purchase of a CNG vehicle or conversion of a gasoline engine to run on CNG, but Rep. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma City, said he found tepid support for switching to CNG among motorists he talked to at gas stations during the Easter break. Despite high gas prices, switching to alternative fuels has been slow to develop.
CNG station in Norman, Okla. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman
Trouble down south?
The Latino vote could be key in November’s presidential election. If this demographic’s views at all mirror the sentiment in Latin American countries, President Barack Obama could be in trouble. Gallup reported this week that the percentage of Latin Americans believing the U.S.-Latin America relationship will strengthen under Obama has dropped from 43 percent in 2009 to 24 percent in 2011. Neighboring Mexico’s optimism was halved, from 43 to 19 percent. Obama’s job approval rating in the region has also declined in the same time frame, from 62 to 47 percent, with Mexico demonstrating the biggest fall among the 18 countries, from 62 to 31 percent. At this weekend’s Summit of the Americas in Colombia, Gallup says Obama is “seeking to strengthen commercial ties, specifically in the energy sector.” Perhaps Canada will join us in our skepticism.
Western Hemisphere leaders will gather for the sixth Summit of the Americas this weekend at the Convention Center in Cartagena, Colombia. (AP Photo)
Razor thin
The race to determine a new state representative from Tulsa is a reminder that yes, every vote really does matter. That’s easy to lose sight of when a race is decided by a wide margin. But the difference in the District 71 seat couldn’t be closer. After losing on April 3 by three votes, Republican Katie Henke asked for a recount. It showed her defeating Democrat Dan Arthrell by one vote. But two other ballots were eventually found in the tubs that collect ballots under the machines. If those were counted, Arthrell would be the winner again. The case is now in Tulsa County district court. However this shakes out, the winner will have to immediately run for re-election because the job only lasts through the end of this legislative session.
House District 71 candidates Dan Arthrell (left) and Katie Henke (right), The Oklahoman Archives
Off the books
The number of states that have the death penalty on the books shrank by one this week — sort of. Lawmakers in Connecticut voted to abolish capital punishment for all future cases, and replace it with life in prison without the possibility of parole. Eleven men are on death row in Connecticut, and that won’t change. Leaving those sentences intact helped give this bill the support it needed in the legislature. One House member called the bill “illogical” because “we allow the death penalty to continue for at least 11 people and maybe more.” True, but it’s essentially for show anyway — the state has carried out only one execution in the past 51 years.
Long-shot consideration
With his path to the Republican nomination for president now all but locked up, Mitt Romney can focus on choosing a running mate. It’s a pivotal decision. Among the names often mentioned as possibilities are House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and Ohio Sen. Rob Portman. All represent important states and constituencies or bring certain skill sets to the table. “It’s pretty easy to name the list. It’s pretty difficult to pick the guy,” U.S. Rep. Tom Cole said. Cole, R-Moore, offers a long shot female worth considering — New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte. He says she’s a rising star who could more than hold her own under the bright lights of a campaign.
Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, June 30, 2011 (AP Photo)
Just rewards
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- Arkansas football coach Bobby Petrino at an April 3 news conference (AP Photo)
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- Jessica Dorrell (AP Photo/University of Arkansas)
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- Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long at an April 10 news conference (AP Photo)
A couple of easy lessons flow from the firing this week of Arkansas football coach Bobby Petrino. One is that hubris can be costly. Petrino clearly felt that his exalted position as head of the state’s beloved football program made him untouchable. That sort of arrogance is too often the norm, not the exception, with bigtime college football (and basketball) coaches. Another is that the cover-up is always worse than the crime. Petrino’s downfall started with a motorcycle crash on April 1. On board at the time was a 25-year-old woman with whom Petrino had been having an affair. He had only a few days earlier hired her onto his support staff. From the start, and despite numerous chances to come clean, Petrino lied to his boss and others about the details of the crash and the improper relationship. Despite all of this, the decision to show Petrino the door had to be difficult for Athletic Director Jeff Long, a former associate AD at the University of Oklahoma. Kudos to him for doing the right thing.
Fostering hope
A Crosspointe Church volunteer gives a camper an archery lesson at the church’s Royal Family Kids’ Camp for children in foster care. Photo provided, August 2011.
To best serve Oklahoma’s poor and disadvantaged, a partnership between the government and faith-based community is indispensable. The 8308 campaign, named for the number of children in DHS custody as of January 1, is taking this approach to address the urgent need for foster families. A statewide conference on Thursday, April 26 will provide information and resources for individuals looking to get involved and churches interested in establishing a foster care or adoption ministry. Journey Church in Norman is hosting the event from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Register at http://www.faithlinksok.org. The conference is free, and lunch is provided. The campaign is a collaborative effort of the Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, 111 Project, SALLT and Sandridge Energy. If you’ve been wondering what you can do to serve Oklahoma’s children, mark your calendar for this opportunity to put your faith in action.
Bill worth supporting
A prison reform bill headed to the Oklahoma Senate isn’t quite what House Speaker Kris Steele envisioned, but passage would represent progress nonetheless. A Senate committee this week approved Steele’s House Bill 3052 after removing a section that would have let inmates who must serve 85 percent of their sentence begin earning good-time credits when they arrive in prison. Presently, those credits can’t be earned until the inmate has served 85 percent of the sentence. The provision would have saved money and freed up prison beds, and its removal was unfortunate. However the rest of the bill is intact, and if approved it will result in an improved public safety network for Oklahoma. The full Senate shouldn’t delay in giving its OK.
Left: A guard tower at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, Okla. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
Off to Illinois
Jim Scroggins’ departure as executive director of the Oklahoma Lottery is likely to be well received by legislative leaders. Scroggins had pushed for a change in state law that requires 35 percent of lottery earnings to go to education. His argument was that if that percentage were lowered, more money would be available for prizes, and that higher prizes would in turn draw more players. He was consistently rebuffed by Republicans who control the Legislature and who, on the whole, strongly oppose the lottery. Even so Scroggins, who left recently to take a position with the Illinois Lottery, is due a salute for his seven years of service, including getting our lottery up and running after voters approved the idea in November 2004.
Photo by Paul Hellstern, The Oklahoman Archives
Sounds familiar
Gov. Bob McDonnell (AP File Photo)
Gov. Mary Fallin can probably empathize to some degree with her colleague from Virginia, Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell. McDonnell, whose party controlled both houses of the legislature for the first time in 12 years, began the legislative session by urging lawmakers to focus on issues such as job creation and state finances, and not get sidetracked by partisan fights. Fallin and GOP leaders pushed a similar agenda last year. In Virginia, members didn’t listen very well. Republicans passed a number of prickly social bills favored by social conservatives, and McDonnell signed them all. Minority Democrats got a measure of payback by gumming up the budgeting process — a special session was needed to complete their work. Social conservatives caused their share of headaches in Oklahoma a year ago but Fallin met several goals, including reform to the state pension system, changes to the workers’ comp and civil justice systems, and government consolidation.
