Opinion

With less than two months remaining in this year’s legislative session, much of our work is currently focused on crafting the state budget for Fiscal Year 2025. The Senate has been operating under new budgeting procedures this year to open meetings to the public and promote transparency. This is a vast difference from my first few years in the Legislature when only a handful of people were responsible for writing the budget, and lawmakers often only had a few days to review the multi-billion-dollar budget. Additionally, our new schedule and processes give all legislators the opportunity to provide input on the budget, ensuring their constituents are represented throughout the appropriations process.

Mullin it Over – “One Year Later, Lawton-Fort Sill’s FISTA is a Model for Public-Private Innovation”

TheTimes-Democrat values the views of our readers and we willingly publish letters no matter what viewpoint taken. However, there are a few rules that need to be followed before a letter can be published.

Weekly Column

Honoring Our American Heroes

As spring weather warms the soil, and recent rainfall a blessing, here is a reminder of how valuable mulching can be in the garden. The benefits of mulch depend on the material used and depth to which it is applied. In general, mulching minimizes evaporation of water from the soil surface, reducing irrigation need by around 50%. It helps stabilize soil moisture levels, thereby improving vegetable quality and encouraging the beneficial activity of soil organisms. Some of the more common mulch materials include small grain straw, wood or bark chips, grass clippings and black plastic(weed mat). Mulching helps reduce soil compaction forces from rain and traffic. And if organic material is used, the mulch can be later plowed into the garden as a soil amendment. Mulching can cool or warm soil temperatures, and can also aid in weed control.

State Senator Jerry Alvord

OKLAHOMA CITY – Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, last week gained House passage of multiple bills he authored regarding Oklahoma’s tax structure and policy. The bills were in addition to tax policy legislation passed by the House earlier this session.

The Necessity of Strong National Security

This week, we reached the deadline to hear bills in their house of origin. After many hours of debate, questioning, and consideration, we passed a few hundred Senate bills out of our chamber that will now move to the House for further review. We’ll be working through their proposed legislation in Senate committees in the coming weeks.

Last week, President Biden gave his third annual State of the Union address. However, unfortunately, instead of using this opportunity to unite our nation, President Biden gave a caustic and divisive speech, in which he utilized false claims in an attempt to persuade the American people into believing America is stronger today than it was three years ago.

Footnotes