WAYNE ON THE ISSUES

I recently visited Dale Depue's web site.  Its a nice looking site.  I looked at his sub title "Dale on the Issues".  He talks about moral decay, traditional marriage, sanctity of life and taxes.  He does not address the real issues facing the people of the state.  For example, taxes, Dale states that he believes we are to heavily taxed in this state, yet he worked to get HB1532 passed.  This bill, which was one of his first bills introduced, in his first year of being our representative imposed a heavy tax on a select group of people. Yet he speaks of the people of this state being heavily taxed!  He is avoiding the real issues of our state.

After talking to many people in our district, I believe these are the real issues, based on what people have said:

Getting the roads & bridges fixed

Immigration Law Reform

Taxes & Fees

Outrageous Fuel Prices

Alternative Fuels

Keeping the People Informed

Lets start off with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT).  This is the state agency that has the responsibility of maintain our roads, bridges and state owned rail roads.

I met with Gary Ridley a couple months ago and spent about two hours with him.  He would like to have a trust fund set up for ODOT instead of being appropriated monies.  He also gave me a booklet which is very interesting and VERY informative.  People this will open your eyes.  The booklet is called ODOT System Status Report June 2005.

While reading the report I noticed a chart that shows inflation on cost of materials and repairs  has increased 75.9%. Highway miles traveled has increased to 67.6 million vehicle miles traveled daily and this is still increasing. We are the 17th state in the nation for highway miles traveled and we are at the bottom of the list for quality of roads and bridges.  Now we have State appropriations for highways and bridges which is approximately 235 million dollars.  (This is based from the ODOT System Status Report June 2005).  Since 1985 to June 2005 ODOT has been operating off of a straight line budget.  People, how many businesses will still be in business today with a straight line budget?  NONE!!!! I know we have all heard in the news casts lately that our Governor has signed bills giving ODOT several million more dollars. Folks you have to remember that this is an election year, and along with the rest of our law makers he has waited until the last minute to attempt to do something about the roads and bridges.   All they have done is put a Band-Aid on a Band-Aid. 

Here is something else for you to think about.  In 2007 there will be 305 bridges that will be 80 years old or older. Under the current program only 71 will be replaced.  In 2008 there will be 382 bridges that will be 80 years old or more. Under the current program only 90 will be replaced.  By the year 2014 there will be 1143 bridges that will be 80 years old or more, and if the program has not changed by then only 324 will be replaced!!!

We are in Division Four which takes in Oklahoma, Canadian, Kingfisher, Logan, part of Payne, Garfield, Noble, Grant and Kay counties.  In Logan county alone there are 29 STRUCTURALLY DEFICIENT/FUNCTIONALLY OBSOLETE BRIDGES.  

As your representative I will work with ODOT and the people of District 31 to get our highway system fixed and work to get ODOT enough money to maintain the highway system. With 30,000 plus voters in District 31, I expect you to demand the repair of our roads and bridges. We together will work to get this problem taken care off.  As your representative I will want your views and ideas on this major problem. If you want a copy of ODOT System Status Report June 2005 or the latest version contact ODOT at (405) 522-1800 or you can request a copy by writing to Oklahoma Department of Transportation, 200 N.E. 21st Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105-3204.

Taxes and Fees

We are one of the most heavily taxed states in this country.  I will work to put an end to taxes on foods, prescription drugs, and   do away with the "death tax".  In my last campaign I said that "I would not support any measure that calls for a tax increase for any reason".  I now put it in writing that I will not vote for any tax increase, of any type, for any reason.  NO NEW TAXES! NO INCREASE IN TAXES!

In this state we have way to many fees. There is a $5.00 fee that has been added to our hunting and fishing licenses, several fees added to our car tags to drive the cost up, Two years ago our lawmakers mandated a $19.00 fee to be added to traffic citations that you may have received or may soon receive. The state mandated this and it is in Title 21 of the state statues.  This money is to be collected by the states municipalities and they must write out three checks every quarter to go to AFIS (the automated finger print computer system), CLEET and OSBI. I was given this information by the Guthrie Court Clerks office.  I do not know how many traffic citations are issued in this state per day by all the municipalities, so the figures I am using are for simplicity.  This is an example.  If in one day within the state of Oklahoma,100,000 citations were issued, this $19.00 fee adds up to $1,900,000.00 extra that the state brings in.  Are you tired of these hidden fees?  I sure am, and I will not support or vote for any measure calling for a fee.  Our state government must learn to live within its means and stop raising taxes and fees.  No wonder the New York Times and the Washington Post think we are a bunch of back woods people.

As your Representative I will demand that the State and all its various agencies live and work within their budgets, and further that all agency directors are held accountable for their budgets down to the last penny. 

Alternative Fuels

I will strongly support the further development and implementation of alternative fuels.  We need to become less dependant on foreign oil.  We need to cut down on greenhouse emissions.   Right now I believe that we subsidize farmers not to grow crops.  I purpose that we subsidize farmers to grow crops for these alternative fuels with the subsidy lasting for two years, and at the end of those years the subsidy ends.  This subsidy is to be given to farmers who grow grains that can be used in the production of alternative fuels. I will support measures which will give tax breaks and other incentives to the independent companies which produce and distribute alternative fuels.

There is an ethanol plant in Enid , which recently came on line. \Some of the grains, which can be used in the production of ethanol, are corn, wheat, certain types of barley, and canola for diesel fuel. (The barley which is grown, has to be processed in a special way, for the production of ethanol.)