Unlike earlier protests in history, which were narrow in focus and concentrated on singular issues, the Occupy movement has grander aspirations: to take back America from the moneyed interests that have hijacked democracy in the name of greed. Occupiers call themselves the 99 percent, and assert that the richest individuals and corporations in America have […]
Commentary
Posted inNews
Fans lose in lockout
The logjam at press time in NBA negotiations is largely over how to divide revenue. For the most part, this is about how to divide a pie. And it’s a pretty big pie that’s being cut into two pieces. The size of the pie depends on fans and how much they are willing to pay […]
Posted inNews
Fans lose in lockout
The logjam at press time in NBA negotiations is largely over how to divide revenue. For the most part, this is about how to divide a pie. And it’s a pretty big pie that’s being cut into two pieces. The size of the pie depends on fans and how much they are willing to pay […]
Posted inNews
Counterpoint: Bad tax model
But is eliminating the income tax here really the panacea some state leaders think it is, and can Oklahoma really emulate Texas, which is often cited as a tax model? No. On the surface, the proposal seems tempting. Most people don’t like paycheck taxes, state or otherwise, even though they enjoy and often take for […]
Posted inNews
Point: Creating a boomtown in OKC
One strategic move that would create an economic boom in the metro would be for Oklahoma to phase out the state personal income tax. Can you imagine the boom that would happen throughout the OKC metro area if this happened? Places like the vibrant and growing Paseo Arts District and all of its entrepreneurs would […]
Posted inNews
Counterpoint: The private sector’s responsibility
It is a worthy project. However, neither merit nor nobility by themselves justify a public expenditure. As lawmakers, we must be judicious in our allocation of public monies. To be responsible with the public trust, we must be prudent in our spending and hold state agencies accountable. When AICCM, a state agency, approached the Legislature […]
Posted inNews
Point: State must step up
Gov. Frank Keating is prone to colorful speech, and his description of the dome-less Oklahoma state Capitol was no exception. When Keating rolled out his plan to put the dome on the state Capitol and complete the original design of the great Oklahoma architect Solomon Andrew Layton, there was considerable skepticism. Many thought it would […]
Posted inNews
An economy for everyone
It is all too easy to yield to a certain dark fatalism, or on the contrary, to invest all one’s hopes in fundamental change on the federal level. While much room for improvement remains in national politics — from ending the farce known as “free trade,” to tackling the debt, and we must hold national […]
Posted inNews
Working toward walkability
Oklahoma City was developed around the automobile as the primary means of travel. While the city is well-geared for travel by car, other options are more difficult because the infrastructure either does not exist, or is not continuous. A lack of a continuous trail and sidewalk network has left Oklahoma City citizens without the option […]
Posted inNews
Shaping a better city
Everyone addressed the issue based on their own experience and expertise, providing a diverse range of perspectives. Still, there was certainly a common theme repeated over and over again: It became quite clear that a connection exists between the type and density of development, municipal functions and quality of life. One aspect of this relates […]