YOUR VIEWS

Self-serving

Given the wider range of self-serving behavior emerging from the Trump administration, it appears the adopted motto is not “E pluribus unum” but a quotation from Sherlock Holmes. At the end of “A Study In Scarlet,” Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has his protagonist say: “Populus me sibilat, at mihi plaudo Ipse domi stimul ac nummos contemplar in arca.” Which translates to: “The public hiss at me, but I cheer myself when in my own house I contemplate the coins in my strong-box.”

Thomas Baines, Oklahoma City

Once again No. 1

Oklahoma is once again No. 1. Oklahoma has the worst incarnation rate in the United States and the world. Oklahoma ranks near worst in woman incarnation, teen pregnancy, education and health. I wonder what eight more years of Republican control will accomplish.

Dub Whalen, Oklahoma City

Board acted properly

Cal Hobson (You Views, June 8) obviously does not understand employerto-employee relationships. Western Heights gave its staff notice it would support one day of absence for the teachers’ strike. Obviously, the teachers and staff employees thought the board was bluffing. Acting like adolescents, many teachers and staff cried publicly when the board docked their pay. Hobson has targeted the board and not the teachers or their unions, which stiffed the taxpayer with another huge tax burden.

Teachers sign a contract each year. Honorable people live up to the terms of their contracts. This year, many teachers did not. If you don’t like the pay structure, it’s still a free country — take a position somewhere else.

Hobson should mind his Ps and Qs. The referenced cuts to education were many years in the making (prior to any one administration or party’s majority), and the Legislature has a poor track record when it comes to reducing waste, fraud and embezzlement. Neither has the Legislature shown, to use Hobson’s words, maturity in stepping up and auditing all state departments, agencies, etc., annually.

Bill Veitch, Yukon

Transparency measures needed

Since 2015, the Legislature has raised more than $ 1.1 billion in new taxes, but failed to implement oversight on the use of these funds. It’s disturbing that Gov. Mary Fallin vetoed a bill requiring that all government expenditures be put online so voters can see how their tax dollars are being spent. She also refused to share how much

in federal grants was received by each department, and how it was spent. I’m sure that federal auditors would not be amused at the “creative” accounting system responsible for the recent budgetary crisis at the Oklahoma Department of Health.

During the current political campaign, all candidates should be required to be specific, during interviews and debates, about their approach to solve the current sad state of affairs. Posting online all government transactions should be implemented. This will provide transparency and accountability, and facilitate detecting duplications and waste.

About dog attacks

Regarding “Raising hackles; Dog attacks in OKC have residents on edge” (News, June 11): Dogs are pack animals. If an owner has to call a dog from an attack, they should be responsible enough to have a qualified trainer evaluate the animal. The dog definitely needs training.

I hope these owners get fined heavily and get a judgment against them taking away their rights to own a dog. An alternative would be mandatory dog handling classes to include behavior instruction.

A better way

Raoul Carubelli, Oklahoma City

Jane Neely, Nicoma Park

I believe the number of Oklahoma taxpayers who are against pay increases for teachers is extremely small. However, there are many taxpayers who are against the manner in which these increases were approved. The corruption and government waste in Oklahoma is out of control, and the only solution provided by these bureaucrats is to tax, tax and tax. Full-blown audits of all state, county and local agencies could more than likely raise more funds than were created by the tax increases. And, of course we probably need to consolidate many school districts to eliminate excess administrators and duplication of responsibilities.

Hopefully, Oklahoma voters can drain the political swamp that exists in this great state and put our economy back on a solid footing without relying on just a few industries to pay the bills. I want a better education for our kids as well as a stronger financial commitment for our teachers, but there is a better way to accomplish this.

Gene McElvaney, Bethany