Byline: Morgan Taylor/Multimedia Producer
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma – “The State of the State is the strongest it’s ever been,” Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt said during the delivery of his address at the state capital on Feb. 6.
Principal Chief David Hill and Second Chief Del Beaver attended the event with other tribal leaders of the Five Civilized Tribes like Principal Chief of Cherokee Nation, Chuck Hoskins Jr. and Chief of the Choctaw Nation, Gary Batton.
At the beginning of Stitts’ address, he recognized their attendance by grouping them together and naming them “tribal leaders” along with a long list of other attendees.
However, as his address went on, Stitt did not mention the tribes at any other time. In last year’s address, he attacked the tribes by bringing up the Roth case that could have been subjected to the McGirt ruling. Chief Hill said that Stitt’s statement was “patently false.” Later, it was the Castro-Huerta case decision that would decide the fate of Roth.
Tribal leaders have not had any negative feelings toward Stitt for the lack of recognition.
According to Chief Hill, it was nice to not hear negative comments about the tribes. He does believe tribes deserve credit for their economic impact, job creation, and public safety.
Stitt’s cabinet has made a positive turn for the state/tribal relationship with the confirmation of the new State Attorney General Gentner Drummond.
Drummonds’ priority is to improve relations with tribal nations. He finds the recent disputes over McGirt to be opportunities for collaboration.
“Oklahoma’s relationship with our great tribal nations has been damaged by divisive rhetoric and combative legislation,” Drummond said.
“Oklahoma must forge commonsense agreements with our tribal brothers and sisters that respect their sovereignty and ensure public safety.”
What Drummond calls a simple task, has not been so simple for the state and tribes.
The Oklahoma Tribal Finance Consortium found that the tribes had an impact of $15.6 billion on the state for the year 2019 alone, according to a report released in 2021.
The Oklahoma Tribal Finance Consortium found that the tribes had an impact of $15.6 billion on the state for the year 2019 alone, according to a report released in 2021.
In Stitt’s first term he promised to deliver more transparency, eliminate budget deficits, replenish state savings, boost the economy, and bring more jobs to the state. In addition, Stitt claimed that the state would support law enforcement, cut taxes, invest in infrastructure, and invest in education.
“We’ve done this by sticking to our conservative principles,” Stitt said. “Smaller government, lower taxes, family, freedom, and faith.”
Stitt’s executive budget will propose $130 million towards an Education Savings Account, $50 million in performance-based pay raises for teachers, $100 million toward the Innovation School Fund, and $100 million for the expansive reading innovation. It will expand concurrent enrollment, and promote charter schools. One of his main goals is to create more education options for students.
Oklahoma has ranked at the bottom of the barrel in education over the last two years. Stitt claimed his initiatives will put Oklahoma in the top ten from its current No. 49 rank in the United States.
“Every child deserves a quality education that fits their unique needs, regardless of economic status, or background,” Stitt said.
Stitt claimed over 23,000 jobs have been created since he came into office.He said that Oklahoma now has the third fastest-growing economy in the nation.
“We must capitalize on the progress we’ve made,” Stitt said.
The Stitt Administration has plans to focus on key areas: energy, infrastructure, workforce development, and tax policy.
These efforts could make Oklahoma the Nations’ hydrogen hub. It currently ranks fifth for natural gas production, sixth for oil production, and 10th for renewables.
“Oklahoma’s affordable and reliable grid is the envy of the world and an undeniable competitive advantage,” Stitt said.
The Mvskoke Reservation houses Google’s second largest data center in Mayes County. Just last year, Google invested $75 million to expand operations. USA Rare Earth, American Airlines, Dell, Amazon, and Boeing all house operations in the state.
House Speaker Charles McCall helped form the Oklahoma Broadband Office. Their goal is to provide adequate broadband internet services to 95% of Oklahomans by 2028.
“When I came into office, Oklahoma was ranked in the bottom ten for broadband access,” Stitt said. “We’ve jumped 23 spots in the nation for fastest coverage.”
Stitt said that the workforce is a challenge to business flooding to Oklahoma. He hopes to see partnerships form between higher education institutions, CareerTechs, and even high schools with the “workforce of tomorrow”. He urges the state to reimagine the approach by investing in students as individuals. Innovation is what Stitt believes will keep Oklahoma striving toward the future.
“Because in OK, we are not afraid of the future,” he said. “ We lean into it, and we embrace it.”
As of now the state has accumulated a $4 billion savings account and $1.8 billion surplus. Stitt’s budget will propose to eliminate the state grocery tax and reduce personal taxes to save families hundreds of dollars each year.
Families are still struggling to keep up with the post-pandemic inflation. Things like milk have gone from $2.90 to today’s price of $4.20. Eggs have almost reached six dollars.
“We can provide families with immediate relief at the store and with bigger paychecks,” Stitt said.
Stitt yearns to protect Oklahomans and promote freedoms. It is one of Stitt’s goals to make OK the best state in the nation for veterans.
About nine percent of Oklahoma’s population (340,000) is veterans. State legislature enacted multiple new bills to assist veterans statewide.
The conservative governor called on the state legislature to send him a bill to ban gender transition surgeries and care to minors.
“We shouldn’t allow a minor to get a permanent gender altering surgery in Oklahoma,” Stitt said. “After all minors can’t vote, can’t purchase alcohol, can’t purchase cigarettes…”
Stitt claimed since the start of his tenure as governor, over a billion dollars have been invested in the health care system with another $700 million on the way to improve rural hospitals and expand primary care.
Protecting citizens means providing safe traveling roadways, he claimed.
“Oklahoma secured the largest transportation grant in state history,” Stitt said. “$85 million for improving I-44 and the US-75 interchange, a major win for Oklahoma.”
You can view the full address at https://oklahoma.gov/governor/newsroom/newsroom/2023/february2023/governor-stitt-delivers-2023-state-of-the-state-address.html.