Kevin Stitt takes charge at the State Capitol
The week in Oklahoma began with a new face behind the governor’s desk for the first time in eight years following the Monday morning inauguration of Kevin Stitt. Stitt was sworn in as the state’s 28th governor in a chilly outdoor ceremony on the steps of the Oklahoma Capitol building in front of an enthusiastic group of supporters and other political and business leaders.
But, as a political newcomer whose first race was for the gubernatorial seat he won last November, Stitt has no legislative legacy to shed light on the mystery of what sort of governor he will prove to be.
With an increased Republican majority in the state legislature, Stitt should have no difficulty in advancing his legislative agenda, however to date the new governor’s plans for the state have been expressed only in broad terms with few specific proposals on the table.
During a 15 minute inaugural speech, Stitt reiterated campaign promises to “make Oklahoma a Top Ten state” and to ensure the government accounts for “every tax dollar spent.”
Stitt also took on the establishment and vowed to wage war on the status quo.
“We need to change how Oklahoma’s 400 agencies and commissions are comprised,” the governor said during his first official speech. “Our current system gives agencies too much independence from the voter – they have the ability to ignore executive orders, skirt around laws passed by the legislature, hide pockets of money, and protect their own interests by hiring lobbyists.”
On the face of it this may seem a laudable goal, but Stitt’s statement is belied by the facts and is yet another instance in which the newly minted politician’s lack of understanding of state law and the mechanisms of government is revealed. No matter how badly Stitt may wish to emulate his idol in the White House, he does not have the authority to govern by executive decree and many of the agencies he claims he will restructure are established by state law, as are their governing boards. In the absence of constitutional amendments in some cases and changes to state statutes in others, Stitt would do well to learn to work with state agencies rather than trying to consolidate or remake them to suit his personal preferences.
Stitt also spoke this week about the importance of education to the state’s future, rightly stating that, “…improving education should not be a partisan issue.”
The test will be in how the governor goes about realizing this goal, and this again is an area that where he has provided little detail. During the campaign Stitt said he was opposed to last year’s teacher salary increase and has indicated he favors placing more of the burden of funding public education on local districts.
One of Oklahoma’s most dubious distinctions is its high rate of incarceration, especially of women, and in this area perhaps more than others that Stitt where the governor’s leadership could usher in real change. By including the issue in his inaugural speech Stitt has given the legislature the green light to address criminal justice reform in the current session, something that is badly needed for both economic and humanitarian reasons.
One area that remains a question mark is whether Oklahoma’s new governor will embrace the state’s immigrant population and the value it brings to the economy, or push it away as his predecessor did. This is another issue where many hope Governor Stitt will choose to lead in a positive way rather than following he worst inclinations of some in the State House and Senate.
With a new governor and many other new office holders, 2019 could mark a fresh start for Oklahoma. “Six months from now,” one capitol observer said, “we’ll know what kind of governor Stitt will be.” (La Semana)