Oklahoma’s effort to reorganize, size and hold government accountable advanced Tuesday as all six state questions passed.
State Question No. 758
The measure places a cap on the level of increase in the fair cash value of homestead exempted property and agricultural land. Some county assessors have long claimed to be conservative while hiking individual assessments to the maximum allowed by law at every opportunity. Should this question pass, the existing cap would fall from 5% to 3%.
State Question No. 759
In the areas of employment, education and contracting this measure does not allow affirmative action programs to provide preferred treatment based on race, color or gender. It permits affirmative action in three instances; 1) When gender is a bonafide qualification, 2) When court orders and/or consent decrees are in force, and 3) When affirmative action is required to keep or obtain federal funds.
This would remove all Oklahoma government, state agencies, counties, cities, towns and school districts from the “quota” game with the likely outcome to be based on merit.
State Question No. 762
This question amends the Oklahoma Constitution to remove the Governor from the parole process for persons convicted of certain nonviolent offenses. It enlarges the power and authority of the Pardon and Parole Board in these cases and in others to recommend to the Governor, but not to itself grant, parole for persons required to serve not less than eighty-five percent of their sentence prior to being considered for parole.
History in Oklahoma proves that when any governor is running for re-election, no paroles are granted and the standard for parole unreasonably political. This is an effort to standardize nonviolent offenses, reduce populations in Oklahoma prisons, and generally move the correction system in Oklahoma to reason rather than revenge.
State Question No. 764
This measure would amend the Oklahoma Constitution to allow the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to issue bonds to fund certain water resource and sewage treatment building programs. Not more than $300 million in bonds is allowed and the Oklahoma Legislature would oversight the program.
State Question No. 765
This measure amends the Oklahoma Constitution to abolish the Oklahoma Department of Human Services as identified within that Constitution. It does not abolish services, but places the agency under the authority of the Legislature to administer and carry out laws to provide for the care of the aged and the needy.
This measure is desperately needed. Oklahoma’s Department of Human Services has been ripe with corruption, administrative arrogance, and incompetence as often noted by Federal Judges reviewing its operation.
State Question No. 766
This measure would exempt all intangible personal property from ad valorem property taxation. Intangible Personal Property is that whose value is not derived from physical attributes, but rather from what it represents. Intangible examples include: patents, inventions, formulas, designs, and trade secrets, licenses, franchise, contracts, land leases, mineral interests, insurance policies, custom computer software, t5rademarks, trade names and brand names.