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Muskogee Phoenix

Prosperity district stirring dissent

Idea unpopular strip the power from vot- would replace, within its recent presentation of the pressed concerns the mea-
ers who derailed the so- boundaries, all state bill on the House floor, sure, if allowed to become
with those who called Right to Farm Act laws above the baseline Moore said the 88-page law, could be exploited by
voted against at the ballot box. of the state constitution, bill would start a grass foreign corporations or na-
SQ 777 House Bill 2132 mod- common law, criminal law fire of prosperity. tions and create a free-for-
el legislation backed by a and existing compacts. Skeptics, who were un- all atmosphere of deregu-
By D.E. Smoot Houston-based advocacy State Rep. Lewis Moore, able to prevent its passage lation and Third World
Phoenix Staff Writer group pushing an over- R-Arcadia, likened them in the House of Represen- conditions.
haul of the U.S. Constitu- as pilot programs that tatives described it as a Denise Deason-Toyne,
A growing number of or- tion would create what property owners could Pandoras box that would president of Save the Il-
ganizations are lining up supporters describe as create in the most desti- usher in an era of ulti- linois River Inc., said the
against legislation pend- prosperity districts. Com- tute places we can find mate and utter deregula- Tahlequah-based citizen
ing in the Oklahoma Sen- pact for America repre- in Oklahoma to unleash tion of everything. State coalition is adamantly op-
ate that critics describe sentatives say a prosper- economic freedom and Rep. Jason Dunnington,
as a legislative scheme to ity district, once created, prosperity. During his D-Oklahoma City, ex- (See DISSENT, 2A)

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Muskogee Phoenix
Dissent
Continued from Page 1A
posed to HB 2132, which
was introduced as a shell
bill by House Speaker
Charles McCall, R-Atoka.
It emerged from commit-
tee as a 92-page behemoth
that reads more like a con-
stitution than a bill.
It is basically a slap
in the face to voters who
soundly voted no on State Prosperity States Com-
Question 777 and an end
run around what the peo-
ple want, Deason-Toyne Attorney General Drew
said. This is the creation Edmondson said, HB
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
y, p
of prosperity districts, 2132 is basically SQ 777
which is as bad or on steroids.
worse than SQ 777. Under HB 2132, cor- March, and the Oklahoma
STIR, one of many or- porations can create
ganizations that lined up so-called prosperity dis-
against SQ 777, opposed tricts which basically
the legislative referen- grant those who conduct
business there the abil-
dum rejected Nov. 8 by
ity to operate with little
Oklahoma voters be-
cause it would have in- to no regulation, Ed-
mondson said in a media
terfered with our mission
of protecting Oklahoma release on behalf of the
Oklahoma Stewardship
Scenic Rivers. Leaders of
the clean-water advocacy Council. This bill shifts
governance within the
group say the proposed
designated zones away
from elected city coun-
pact looks a lot like SQ cils and state lawmakers
777. Former Oklahoma and gives the power to a
non-elected board that is
not answerable to the cit-
izens thats bad policy,
plain and simple.
Edmondson agreed with
Deason-Toyne about this
bill being another brazen
effort by lawmakers to
ignore the voice of peo-
ple. He cited legislation
introduced this year that
would undermine voter
intent with the passage of
State Questions 780 and
781, two criminal justice
reform measures that
won widespread support
of Oklahoma voters.
In addition to STIR and
OSC, a handful of other
organizations have come
out against the bill. The
Oklahoma Municipal
League announced its op-
,
P
position to the measure
during the waning days of
League of Women Voters
issued an action alert
with a warning about an A
untested and unproven i
concept.
Courtney Cullison, an
t
analyst at the Oklahoma h
Policy Institute, wrote in
a position paper this past e
week that passage of HB
L
2132 would allow corpo- b
rations and other special
t
interests to create their w
own governments. Culli- a
son notes in her article
that passage would result
r
with unfair competition p
for Oklahoma business- w
es and could be created c
by anyone who has some s
land for almost any pur-
pose. p
Edmondson said out-of- l
state corporate interests w
are fueling the legislative p
push to propel this bill
through the Oklahoma w
Legislature. Edmondson i
said he understands why s
these huge corporations
would want to operate t
with impunity, but I cant fi
fathom why our Legis- a
lature would want to let w
them.
HB 2132 was referred H
the Senate Rules Com- t
mittee, where it remains b
pending. T
Reach D.E. Smoot at
(918) 684-2901 or ds- t
moot@muskogeephoenix. h
com.
 Guymon Daily Herald

Apr
Murdock expresses misgivings
on HB 2132
10

2017

Page
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He voted for it, but he doesnt like it.

Thats the message Representative
Casey Murdock had for those present
at Eggs and Issues on Friday morning
in relation to House Bill 2132.
HB 2132 proposes to create what
is called prosperity districts, autho-
rizing a special purpose authority for
districts to furnish consenting com-
munities with a local jurisdiction that
is streamlined to maximize prosperity
through a stable public policy environ-
ment consisting of optimal regulatory
and fiscal policy.
Opponents of the bill say the piece of
legislation is a workaround after State
Question 777 was voted down by vot-
ers statewide. In Texas County, 78.5
percent of voters chose in favor of the MURDOCK
state question.
Murdock stated during the legisla- for what. The vote was going to pass.
tive update that he is trying to repre- I wanted to make sure I voted for the
sent the people of his own district, who Speakers bill, Murdock said.
voted in favor of farm and ranch protec- My one red vote, I could have come
tions. He was asked about the fact that back here and said I dont like it and I
legislators said the push for 777 would voted against it, and it would cost me
be the last time. While Murdock agreed and my ability to accomplish things for
that is what was stated, he would con- District 61 later down the road.
tinue working for his constituents. Murdock stated that digging further
We more than likely will not run a into the bill brings up things that are
state question like that, Murdock said. worrisome.
That doesnt mean Im not going to It was noted that the region in
run bills to protect agriculture. and around the Oklahoma panhandle
When asked if it was correct that he brings in about $18 billion a year deliv-
voted for 2132, he admitted that he did. ering corn to Mexico, but recent moves
However, he said, he isnt sold on it. from the Trump administration has
That bill scares me, Murdock said. created a mess of the deal. Murdock
I dont like the bill. was asked
When questioned why he voted for I worked with New Mexico State
it, he said it is because it is Speaker of University for 10 years. Their livestock
the House Charles McCalls bill. research center in Clayton, Murdock
When youre down there, you learn said. Mexico, whether you know it or
it was passing. It was passing with
ninety-some votes, and there are rep- MURDOCK
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
resentatives that look at who votes

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Guymon Daily Herald

e MURDOCK capitol, youve all read the story about

l CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 the Brazilian beef thats come in thats
not any good.
s not, is the number one beef importer of I walked by an LAs office that
n American beef. helped write this letter about Brazilian
t Murdock said he had been contacted beef. I said everything I wrote about it
with questions about how Trumps poli- came true, didnt it?
e cies are negatively affecting the beef Murdock says he believes a lot of
n industry.
n what is taking place is political postur-
Im on his advisory committee on ing, and believes when the dust settles,
s agriculture, and I have voiced my there may be a better deal in place
4 opinion, Murdock said. More so, Ive than there was before.
voiced my opinion on the Brazilian Were in a chicken match. Were
n beef coming in to the country. The playing chicken right now to see who is
letter I sent him three months ago on the first to blink, Murdock said.
e Brazilian beef this week I was at the
n
d

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 Ada News

Prosperity district
idea unpopular with
those who voted
Apr against SQ 777
11
By D.E. SMOOT have interfered with
CNHI Oklahoma our mission of protect-
2017 ing Oklahoma Scenic
Rivers. Leaders of the
MUSKOGEE A
clean-water advocacy
growing number of
group say the proposed
Page organizations are lining
up against legislation
Prosperity States Com-
pact looks a lot like SQ
A005 pending in the Okla-
homa Senate that critics
777. Former Oklahoma
Attorney General Drew
describe as a legisla-
Edmondson said, HB
Clip tive scheme to strip the
2132 is basically SQ 777
power from voters who
resized derailed the so-called
on steroids.
Under HB 2132,
30% Right to Farm Act at the
EDOORWER[
corporations can create
so-called prosperity
House Bill 2132
districts which basi-
model legislation
cally grant those who
backed by a Houston-
conduct business there
based advocacy group
the ability to operate
pushing an overhaul of
with little to no regula-
the U.S. Constitution
tion, Edmondson said
would create what
in a media release on
supporters describe
behalf of the Oklahoma
as prosperity districts.
Stewardship Council.
Compact for America
This bill shifts gov-
representatives say a
ernance within the
prosperity district, once
designated zones away
created, would replace,
from elected city coun-
within its boundaries,
cils and state lawmak-
all state laws above the
ers and gives the power
baseline of the state
to a non-elected board
constitution, common
that is not answerable
law, criminal law and
to the citizens thats
H[LVWLQJFRPSDFWV
bad policy, plain and
State Rep. Lewis
simple.
Moore, R-Arcadia,
Edmondson agreed
likened them as pilot
with Deason-Toyne
programs that proper-
about this bill being
ty owners could create
DQRWKHUEUD]HQHRUW
in the most destitute
by lawmakers to ignore
SODFHVZHFDQQGLQ
the voice of people. He
Oklahoma to unleash
cited legislation intro-
economic freedom and
duced this year that
prosperity. During his
would undermine voter
recent presentation of
intent with the passage
the bill on the House
of State Questions 780
RRU0RRUHVDLGWKH
and 781, two criminal
88-page bill would
justice reform measures
VWDUWDJUDVVUHRI
that won widespread
prosperity.
support of Oklahoma
Skeptics, who were
voters.
unable to prevent its
In addition to STIR
passage in the House
and OSC, a handful of
of Representatives
other organizations
described it as a
have come out against
3DQGRUDVER[WKDW
the bill. The Oklahoma
would usher in an era
Municipal League an-
of ultimate and utter
nounced its opposition
deregulation of every-
to the measure dur-
thing. State Rep. Jason
ing the waning days of
Dunnington, D-Okla-
March, and the Oklaho-
KRPD&LW\H[SUHVVHG
ma League of Women
concerns the measure,
Voters issued an action
if allowed to become
alert with a warning
ODZFRXOGEHH[SORLWHG
about an untested and
by foreign corporations
unproven concept.
or nations and create a
Courtney Cullison, an
free-for-all atmosphere
analyst at the Okla-
of deregulation and
homa Policy Institute,
Third World conditions.
wrote in a position
Denise Deason-Toyne,
paper this past week
president of Save the
that passage of HB 2132
Illinois River Inc., said
would allow corpora-
the Tahlequah-based
tions and other special
citizen coalition is
interests to create their
adamantly opposed
own governments. Cul-
to HB 2132, which was
lison notes in her article
introduced as a shell
that passage would
bill by House Speaker
result with unfair com-
Charles McCall, R-
petition for Oklahoma
Atoka. It emerged from
businesses and could
committee as a 92-page
be created by anyone
behemoth that reads
who has some land for
more like a constitution
almost any purpose.
than a bill.
Edmondson said
It is basically a slap
out-of-state corporate
in the face to voters
interests are fueling
who soundly voted no
the legislative push to
on State Question 777
propel this bill through
and an end run around
the Oklahoma Legisla-
what the people want,
ture. Edmondson said
Deason-Toyne said.
he understands why
This is the creation
these huge corporations
of prosperity districts,
would want to operate
which is as bad or
with impunity, but I
worse than SQ 777.
cant fathom why our
STIR, one of many
Legislature would want
organizations that lined
to let them.
up against SQ 777, op-
HB 2132 was referred
posed the legislative
the Senate Rules Com-
referendum rejected
mittee, where it re-
Nov. 8 by Oklahoma
mains pending.
voters because it would

Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
 The Norman Transcript

Apr
L E T TER : STATE GO V ER N M E NT

Prosperity districts
11

2017

Page
A004

wont help Oklahomans

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Editor, the Transcript: as Oklahomans, want to

Our legislators are at it hand over control to out-
again. of-state companies? These
Our schools are broke, folks dont live here. They
our Rainy Day Fund is dry, dont care about our fu-
our transportation infra- ture. They only care about
structure is crumbling and profits.
all the while our elected The bill has passed the
leaders are playing games House of Representatives
behind our backs. Just take and is now in the Oklaho-
a look at House Bill 2132, ma Senate. I encourage all
a bill creating so-called of my friends and neigh-
prosperity districts in bors to call their senator
our state. and tell him or her to drop
This bill is nothing more this ridiculous legisla-
than a ruse to allow big tion and focus on whats
corporations to operate in important.
Oklahoma with virtu- Respectfully,
ally no regulation. Why MARY FREIBURGER
in the world would we, Norman

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