MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN…

THE ISSUES

• Stop the soft on crime policies that have perpetuated the rampant personal property crime “free-for-alls” in our neighborhoods and communities. Protect the citizens and fight for the victims-punish the crime.

• Retail crime impacts us all. With inflation being at record highs, we can least afford to pay for the bad behavior or others. In 2022, Oklahoma businesses reported losses totaling nearly $900 million, costing the state an estimated $38.1 million in sales tax revenue. Habitual offenders must face real consequences.

• Oklahoma should be #1 in the nation when it comes small business ownership. Choosing to invest in yourself and your community should be met with multi-faceted support and information, incentives and a list of public banks that make the path to accessing critical capital attainable. With 60% of our labor force employed by small business, we should be prioritizing entrepreneurial success in Oklahoma.

• With limited space in our high school tech programs and the path to college not being part of every student’s roadmap; we should promote and incentivize local small businesses to offer mentorships, beginning in freshman year. Paired with a comprehensive financial literacy course, learning the inner workings of a small business would help stimulate entrepreneurship and graduate young adults with the ability to be independent and workforce ready. Teaching them in-depth financial lessons, including how to open a checking/savings account, obtaining and building credit, auto finance, etc. Providing them with the understanding of how their decisions can impact their personal finances.

• Rectifying our critical teacher shortage can’t wait until college to start the recruiting process. Creating a “Contract for Oklahoma Education” that is promoted in high school to incentivize a career in Oklahoma education. With the caveat being they stay in Oklahoma for university and to teach. Participants would begin receiving tuition reimbursement on a titrated scale once they begin teaching in Oklahoma.

• Remove the ability for public school districts to self-police, conduct internal investigations and file internal reports when incidents occur that warrant a criminal report be filed. We have seen what results when criminally egregious behavior is shielded from the public. Embezzlement of taxpayer funds, zero transparency from the school administration, no accountability regarding who knew what and when. We have also become aware (way after the fact) of administrations’ protecting their faculty members who have had multiple reports of inappropriate and in many cases sexual contact with minor students. Any adult who violates the sacred trust and authority that comes with their position should be immediately dismissed and turned over to law enforcement.

• Addiction and mental health issues perpetuate the homelessness that lines our city streets. Limited beds, access to quality facilities and ineffective “drive-thru” treatment options only increase recidivism rates. Individualized, long-term centers that offer real treatment and recovery, with special attention on treating functional addicts before they become a statistic-would offer whole patient and family healing. Working in tandem with law enforcement and employers to ensure employment opportunities and public stigma are removed as major barriers to being an integral part of our society.

• Protecting and preserving our personal freedoms from the overreach and weaponization of the 3-letter agencies. Irrational policy being imposed that destroys small business owners, imparts costly mandates in order to be compliant that will increase costs on the hard-working families who can least afford it. All agency heads should be required to answer to the public via the ballot box. We should start by setting precedent in Oklahoma, requiring that all governmental agency directors are elected instead of appointed.