Education funding

I agree with Dave Osborn (Your Views, Aug. 20). Education budgets should be funded with property taxes, more flexibility and certainty to fund the budget (ask Texas). The Legislature is not going to administer or mandate the redistricting of education management. It has been reducing education budgets in hopes of forcing administrators to do it themselves. Because we Okies are basically for conservative government, we dislike big government telling us what to do.

So, one district is not going to combine with another nearby because “they’re our biggest rivals in football” and “what would happen to our town’s identity?” As an example, look at how big the Oklahoma City school district is. Now go to the TriCity area and try to convince Newcastle, Tuttle, Blanchard and Bridge Creek to combine. Three of four superintendents would lose their jobs and administrative positions would probably be cut in half. Worst of all, the long, glorious history of Tuttle wrestling would be in jeopardy.

MISCONCEPTION

“Poll shows strong support for background checks on all gun purchases” (News, Aug. 20) said there are no background checks at gun shows. This is a misconception that is pushed by liberal lawmakers and media. The fact is that federal firearms license holders at gun shows are required to do background checks. The only gun sales exempt from this requirement are tables that have private collections or private deals made between gun show attendees. For purchases through federal firearms license holders or dealers, you will still fill out a federal gun purchase form and they will call in the background check.

LIBERTARIAN SWAY

Regarding “Poll highlights one challenge facing GOP” (Our Views, Aug. 19): It is astounding that The Oklahoman editorial board can write that voters younger than 35 prefer Clinton over Trump by 56 percent to 20 percent and fail to wonder about the other 24 percent — four points more than the total amount of support drawn by the GOP nominee. To discuss the elephant in the room, it’s Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party and young voters are flocking to him in droves. McClatchy-Marist shows Johnson pulling 23 percent among Americans under 30. Investor’s Business Daily has polling for voters 18 to 24 that shows Johnson leading both Clinton and Trump with support of 35 percent among this age group.

Johnson and the Libertarian Party are representative of what today’s young people want — candidates who present what they are for instead engaging in fearmongering and mudslinging, and who understand that government neither can nor should attempt to do everything for everybody. Like it or not, the media is going to have to learn that the Libertarians are going to continue to increase in relevance and can no longer be ignored.

SETTING IT STRAIGHT

“Tone can matter to those who cast votes” (Our Views, Aug. 25) included Del City as among area school districts that approved bond issues Tuesday. Voters in Del City approved a proposed 15-year extension of a 1.5-cent sales tax.