She professed that by calling the legislature into special session last week to re-configure workmens comp and civil lawsuit reforms it was a big success.
“This was legislation passed in 2009 when Brad Henry was governor. The laws were challenged in court and were found to be unconstitutional. I did not agree with that decision but I respect the courts,” Fallin said.
She commended the Republican led legislatures, five days of work in special session re-writing 23 separate pieces of legislation.
“I am happy to say I signed all 23 bills last night.”
Fallin had received criticism from some, on the daily $38,000 cost to taxpayers of hosting the special session. She very strongly advocated the long term savings as justifying the $190,000 expense.
“With the 2009-2011 law medical malpractice claims were down 39 percent. This issue is critical to business retention and recruitment, productivity and health insurance premiums,” Fallin said.
She praised the Insure Oklahoma program (see today’s Herald page one story) combination of federal funding, tobacco settlement money and business and consumer partnership a success. She pointed to the program as a boon to small business and a model of success of government doing the right thing for the 30,000 enrolled in the program and the hundreds of small businesses participating.
Fallin contrasted her administration policies with Democratic led regimes of the recent past. She noted that upon taking office in Jan. of 2011, the state was still suffering the after-effects of the 2008 national economic downturn/recession.
“We had deficits of a billion dollars, the year I came in the state budget had a $500 million dollar shortfall. Seven percent unemployment and the rainy day fund was drained by the downturn,” she said. The governor noted that since her term of office the rainy day account has been restored to over a half-billion dollar surplus and that she was able to fund $45 million from the account towards tornado relief for communities devastated by the May 2013 twister outbreaks.
Fallin told Sapulpans that her overarching policy was to be business friendly, and that by using government policy to set conditions favorable to doing business here, it had allowed growth and expansion of the state economy.
She pegged five “business ecosystems” of great importance naming these off as; energy, aerospace, transportation and distribution, financial services and agriculture and bio sciences.
Fallin promised to strive to fulfill her initiative through the National Governor’s Association called “America Works” at local and national levels.
“Analyze core industries and make sure our education system K-through-12, trade schools and colleges educate and train for tomorrow’s jobs. I want to re-shore jobs back to America.”
Getting personal with the Chief Executive.
Following the address the Herald was granted a few moments to speak one-to-one with the governor.
The governor is a dog owner. She and her husband Wade Christenson adopted a white labrador rescued from a wildfire zone. The couple named the dog Bernie.
Fallin said that when she has a chance to, she relaxes with the family (between them the couple have six children) boating at Grand Lake. She indicated that she enjoys shopping flea markets for antiques.
Asked if she could remember her first automobile, she did and expressed that she sure wished she still had it.
“I was very lucky that my daddy bought my first car for me. It was an English Austin Healey, a red convertible,” she said wistfully.
The governor also said that she has plans to run for re-election in 2014.
Mary Fallin is the 27th governor since statehood and the first woman executive branch head. She is just one of five female gubernatorial leaders presently serving in the U.S.
She was warmly received overall by Sapulpan’s Wednesdsay and she reciprocated with kind words towards local politicians and civic leaders many of whom she has closely worked with at the capital.
Fallin is the first Sooner State governor to head the bi-partisan National Governor’s Association, a post she assumed Aug. 4. Her one year term of service is concurrent with Lt. Gov Todd Lamb’s chairmanship since July, of the National Lieutenant Governor’s Association.
Source Article from http://www.sapulpaheraldonline.com/articles/2013/09/12/news/doc5231ffc32c351480710774.txt
