State Questions

[Decoligny]

I think we've(probably) already decided who we are going to vote for in local and national elections, but what about the several important state questions coming on the ballot?

Ballotpedia Article

State Questions(official website)

State Questions in plain English(slideshow)

How do you guys feel about these questions?

• LRCA SQ 776 Death Penalty Provides constitutional justification for death penalty statutes
• LRCA SQ 777 Agriculture Add a "right to farm" to the state constitution
• CICA SQ 779 Taxes Increase the state sales tax by one percent
• CISS SQ 780 Law enforcement Reclassification of some drug and property crimes as misdemeanors
• CISS SQ 781 Law enforcement Fund rehabilitation programs with funds from SQ 780
• LRCA SQ 790 Religion Repeal prohibition on public money being spent for religious purposes
• LRCA SQ 792 Alcohol Grocery and convenience stores may sell full-strength beer and wine

I'll probably say No to the death penalty, No to the agriculture. I'm not sure about SQ 779. It does make sure that none of the money raised goes to superintendents or such, but a one percent hike on the sales tax is pretty huge. especially if you live in OKC where the sales tax rate is already like ~8-9%.

I'll probably vote yes on 780 and 781, to help lower the nonviolent offenders in Oklahoma jails. Yes on 792 and no 790.


I also recommend you check the ratings of people running for office in Oklahoma with the NRA here:
https://www.nrapvf.org/grades/oklahoma/

Yes
No
No
No
No
Yes
Yes


We had a California version of 780 passed a couple of years ago. It resulted in a mass release of so called "non-violent" offenders. A lot of these were criminals who had pleaded guilty to lesser felony charges than the ones originally charged. These "non-violent" offenders were often times very violent repeat offenders who just happened to be popped for assault with a deadly weapon and possession of drugs, who plea bargained it down to guilty plea for felony possession of drugs if they would drop the ADW. 780 IIRC also reclassifies property crimes by greatly raising the dollar value for theft of property for it to be considered a felony. In CA this resulted in a huge rise in the amount of lower value property crimes being committed due to criminals not being afraid of a simple misdemeanor charge.

 

[Okiedog]

The Norman Transcript said:[27

“In effect, SQ 777 would freeze any new legislation directed at farming or ranching. The industry should certainly be allowed to develop and utilize new technologies, methods and practices, but the state and cities should be able to pass laws and ordinances when necessary. Restricting them from doing so takes power away from leaders elected by Oklahomans.[4] ”

And why is taking power away from elected leaders a bad thing when the SOB's are bought and sold every day?

 

[Frederick]

Yes
No
No
No
No
Yes
Yes


We had a California version of 780 passed a couple of years ago. It resulted in a mass release of so called "non-violent" offenders. A lot of these were criminals who had pleaded guilty to lesser felony charges than the ones originally charged. These "non-violent" offenders were often times very violent repeat offenders who just happened to be popped for assault with a deadly weapon and possession of drugs, who plea bargained it down to guilty plea for felony possession of drugs if they would drop the ADW. 780 IIRC also reclassifies property crimes by greatly raising the dollar value for theft of property for it to be considered a felony. In CA this resulted in a huge rise in the amount of lower value property crimes being committed due to criminals not being afraid of a simple misdemeanor charge.

Some of the posts here have definitely made me rethink some of my original assumptions on how i would vote.

 

[Okie4570]

Some of the posts here have definitely made me rethink some of my original assumptions on how i would vote.

That's why I like to see "why" when somebody says yes or no. Lot's of slants and angles out there.

 

[CHenry]

Better to consolidate the 450+ independent school districts into about 75-80 consolidated school districts and save a bunch of money.

Try 550 districts.
http://proximityone.com/sdstate.htm

 

[Poke78]

Right now, I'm inclined to vote NO on all but the beer/wine SQ 792. Thinking more on 777 due to the Humane Society position.

 

[mr ed]

Where does it say someone searches you every time you go to the store????

I meant to say when you leave the store. As in every business will have to hire guards to search bags, packs, purses for merchandise.
It is bad enough the DA won't prosecute theft under $400. Now they want to raise that to $1000.
Hell, the police won't even come out unless its a really big theft. Let alone haul the perp to jail.
Big box stores can absorb the losses for a while. but a couple good grab and runs could put the little guy out of business.

 

[marvin]

SQ 792

Being in the alcohol industry, I'm against it. We can get refrigeration without all the BS that is stuffed into this question. This bill will directly cause an increase in price in ALMOST all alcoholic beverages, due to changing our distribution system by reducing competition. Currently, retailers and restaurants can buy any product from up to 9 wholesalers 5 days a week. This bill will enable franchising- meaning they will have to get specific products from specific wholesalers, on likely specified days that they can deliver to you.
-The argument of bringing in more breweries is mute (if the brewery wanted to be in OK, they would be here).
-The argument of creating jobs is mute as well, as it's very possible 100-200 locally owned and operated liquor will go out of business.
-Allowing local wineries to ship out of state. I'm fine with, however, I fail to see how that will really help them. Do you go to your local store looking for wines from Kansas, Colorado, etc.

 

[CHenry]

Yes
No
No
No
No
Yes
Yes


We had a California version of 780 passed a couple of years ago. It resulted in a mass release of so called "non-violent" offenders. A lot of these were criminals who had pleaded guilty to lesser felony charges than the ones originally charged. These "non-violent" offenders were often times very violent repeat offenders who just happened to be popped for assault with a deadly weapon and possession of drugs, who plea bargained it down to guilty plea for felony possession of drugs if they would drop the ADW. 780 IIRC also reclassifies property crimes by greatly raising the dollar value for theft of property for it to be considered a felony. In CA this resulted in a huge rise in the amount of lower value property crimes being committed due to criminals not being afraid of a simple misdemeanor charge.

Our prisons are at 110% capacity. OK incarcerates more of its people than any state in the union. Prisons are a business for profit. I'd much rather a person caught with an oz of weed be sent to a rehab paid for with funds that are saved by not sending him to jail. I think I heard it cost $21,000 a year to house a prisoner. Lots of those caught with drugs are doing 5-10 years and sometimes more. Thats $105,000-$210,000 per person to house them for that term. You and I are paying for that.
My vote order will look like:
yes
no
no
yes
yes
yes
yes (this one I'm still on the fence about after reading some of this thread)

Im no way in favor of any tax hike for education. they lied to us to pass the gambling BS for education, and they will lie about how any added taxes will be handled.

 

[Jon3830]

SQ 792

Being in the alcohol industry, I'm against it. We can get refrigeration without all the BS that is stuffed into this question. This bill will directly cause an increase in price in ALMOST all alcoholic beverages, due to changing our distribution system by reducing competition. Currently, retailers and restaurants can buy any product from up to 9 wholesalers 5 days a week. This bill will enable franchising- meaning they will have to get specific products from specific wholesalers, on likely specified days that they can deliver to you.
-The argument of bringing in more breweries is mute (if the brewery wanted to be in OK, they would be here).
-The argument of creating jobs is mute as well, as it's very possible 100-200 locally owned and operated liquor will go out of business.
-Allowing local wineries to ship out of state. I'm fine with, however, I fail to see how that will really help them. Do you go to your local store looking for wines from Kansas, Colorado, etc.

+1 our liquor laws need to change, just not like this.