The Latest in Oklahoma: August 16, 2024
A&A Advocates
An investigation into the spending habits of the State Department of Education (SDE) has been launched to “provide clarity on the issues at OSDE and offer solutions to ensure that taxpayer funds are managed appropriately.” The investigation will be organized and executed by the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT).
The push to fund St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School with state funds in Oklahoma has hit a wall, as the contract is now considered void. On June 25, the Oklahoma Supreme Court directed the board to ditch the contract, stating that it violated constitutional principles. The board then unanimously voted to take the case to the Supreme Court in hopes of reinstating the contract and move forward with the school.
The Oklahoma Broadband Office has approved a $16,000 raise for their director, Mike Sanders, as they claim he is “exceeding or meeting all standards,” for the role. Sanders’ salary now accounts for 7.5% of the $2.6 million annual budget for salaries and personnel. Sanders said he “won’t let them down.”
The potential minimum wage increase continues to be a topic of discussion as the possibility of it being a ballot question in November remains. More than the necessary amount of signatures have been collected by action groups, and verified by the Secretary of State. It is now up to the Oklahoma Supreme Court, Election Board, and Governor’s Office to complete the steps to place the initiative on the ballot. This initiative would raise the minimum wage in Oklahoma to $15 by 2029.
Governor Stitt Taps New COO
Governor Stitt has named Brian Bobek as Chief Operating Officer for the state of Oklahoma. Bobek previously served as the governor’s deputy chief of staff.
“We may have a difference of opinion between each other, but we don’t have to do it hatefully, and we can argue.” – Governor Kevin Stitt speaking at a community event derived from the NGA Disagree Better initiative
