By Althea Peterson
Transcript Staff Writer
With 16 years of experience in the State Senate and House, Republican gubernatorial candidate State Sen. Jim Williamson said his political experience within the state makes him the most qualified to lead it as governor.
Williamson, a native of Tulsa, is challenging incumbent Gov. Brad Henry because he does not like the direction Henry is leading the state.
“The only areas that (Henry) has led on are gambling and taxation and I don’t believe those are a good foundation for public policy,” Williamson said. “I believe we need to reduce taxes, we need to provide a tremendous business environment for Oklahoma.”
Williamson said this can be accomplished by reducing worker’s compensation costs, lawsuit reform, reducing income tax and putting money into Oklahoma infrastructure and education.
“I believe we can bring some free market principles to (education),” Williamson said. “Reward teachers for academic performance. Give school boards an opportunity to get rid of bad teachers.”
Williamson, who has been a social studies teacher, said his experience as an educator gives him a unique perspective as a leader.
“Because reading is a focus, the students that you absolutely cannot teach when you get into high school are the ones who have trouble reading,” he said. “Teachers must be able to maintain order and discipline in their classrooms and not be afraid of trial lawyers when they do. Education is required to do a lot of things parents should be involved in, but what they need to be focused on is academic achievement and they can’t do that if students don’t come prepared by being able to read and by being able to maintain discipline in the classrooms.”
Other areas Williamson said he would like to reform include requiring driver’s insurance and not allowing illegal immigrants access to medical care, with the exception of emergency care, as well as the right to vote.
“If Oklahoma is not a magnet for those who come across the border, then we would not have as many problems,” he said. “We need to make sure people who are here illegally cannot receive taxpayer-funded benefits.”
Williamson, who has two sons and a daughter who work and live in Oklahoma, said he wants to create a state where people born and raised in the state will stay to work and live here.
“I believe a large majority of Oklahoma children would stay in Oklahoma if they had a job available,” he said. “Most of the ones that we lose either go out of state for job circumstances or because they get educated at a college out of state. Until we have the types of policies that will bring those types of jobs here, create those jobs among entrepreneurs here, we will be facing the same problems that we’ve had with many of our talented people leaving.”
“We are in competition with every state in this region,” he said. “We have to have the best policies to have these companies relocate. We have the highest income tax rate in the region.”
Fellow Republican candidates for governor, Rep. Ernest Istook of Warr Acres and Tulsa businessman Bob Sullivan have suggested eliminating the income tax to draw business to the state. Williamson said this would not be possible in four years.
“I want to reduce the income tax down to 3 percent gradually during my four-year term as governor,” Williamson said. “I don’t believe it’s reasonable that we can eliminate it over the next four years without seeing a significant reduction in state programs.
“The biggest difference between them and me is my experience in state government. I’ve been here and I’ve been fighting the battles for all these years. I know what’s achievable. When they tell people they want to eliminate the income tax, they don’t understand that it can’t be done, not with the current revenue levels from the income tax.”
Chip Englander, Istook’s campaign manager, said while Istook wants to eliminate the income tax, it would be a gradual elimination.
“The congressman has always said the same thing, that he would like to abolish the state income tax, but recognizes that he may not be able to do it,” Englander said. “He wants to drive it lower and lower continuously. It’s like the limbo dance — how low can you go.”
In a May 2 interview with The Transcript, Sullivan said in regards to the state income tax, “we have to get it to zero so we can compete.”
“The way to do it is to wind down the expenditure side,” Sullivan said. “That’s a different approach than most people take the budget process, but I’m a different candidate, I’m a business guy, I’m not a career politician or a bureaucrat.”
Williamson said what has held back lawsuit reform and work’s compensation cost reform is Gov. Henry’s relationship with trial lawyers.
“Henry’s never taken a strong stance of lawsuit reform because of his trial lawyer support base,” Williamson said.
In an interview with The Transcript May 18, Henry said he wishes to discuss issues with his opponents in the race, as opposed to simply criticizing each other.
“In campaigns and in the business of politics, there are always critics,” Henry said. “It’s a shame really that opponents believe they have to tear someone down in order to gain ground.”
Williamson, has two years left on his senate term, which he said he will fulfill if not elected governor. He said he encourages voters to support a candidate who shares their values and vision for the state.
“They should vote for someone who agrees with their conservative social values who also believes that government should be maintained on the same type of diet that the private sector is on,” Williamson said. “In other words, government should not grow faster than the private sector. They should vote for someone who understands educational excellence and what it takes to achieve those types of results.”
Althea Peterson
366-3539
apeterson@normantranscript.com
