For The Transcript
Lt. Gov. Jari Askins spoke to the Norman Sooner Rotary Club Tuesday morning and outlined her goals for her first year in office.
Askins talked about her strong relationship with Gov. Brad Henry, with whom she served in the Oklahoma Legislature, and their desire to work together in developing the office of lieutenant governor.
Askins said she plans to maximize the impact of the Oklahoma Centennial celebration to increase economic development and tourism. In her role as chair of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Commission and the Oklahoma Film and Music Advisory Commission, she said she’d encourage Oklahoma filmmakers to produce more films in Oklahoma, using Oklahoma-based talent and crews. Askins said Oklahoma is poised for greater economic development due to the friendliness of the people and their strong work ethic.
With outstanding higher education and career tech systems in the state, students are well-prepared to enter the workforce, she said. Askins called for a stable funding source for Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP), also known as “Oklahoma’s Promise,” and expansion of the program to provide college opportunities for families with more than one child in college, who might not otherwise qualify for the program.
Askins is the first Democratic woman to be elected lieutenant governor and is Oklahoma’s 15th lieutenant governor. She is a native of Duncan and served 12 years in the Oklahoma House of Representatives before being elected to Oklahoma’s second-highest office in November 2006.
