A look at the new Fatima movie

Page 10 • September 10, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure Commentary ... We’re on YOUR Side

Fatima’s inspiration Criminal justice reform I did enjoy the new “Fatima” movie. mated to be somewhere between 70,000 and 100,000 going before the voters

I’ve heard there Mary reportedly appeared to the By The Oklahoman push in 2016 for State the next decade, the are some theaters children so the youngsters could tell Editorial Board Questions 780 and 781, OCPA said, and reduce showing it, but bethe world to repent for its sins and Oklahoma voters have reform measures that votexpenditures by $45 milcause of the virus, draw closer to God. supported criminal justice ers approved. Backers of lion to $186 million. “A the film folks are letSadly, we don’t seem to have reforms in recent years SQ 805 cite data showing reasonable projection is ting us stream dilearned a lot from the warnings and and are being asked to that compared with other that Oklahoma taxpayers rectly to our home. messages. We still seem to insult God do so again in November, states, Oklahoma inmates would save about $142

It comes at a $20 Steve Gust more than we should. this time with a state can spend 70% longer million over a decade,” price. But I’ve been to There is a scene where Mary shows question that, if aplocked up for property the think tank said. enough movies to know you’d spend a the children what hell looks like. proved, would affect crimes and nearly 80% The proposal does not lot more than that at theater. It gives them quite a fright evenprison terms for repeat longer for drug crimes besit well with the District

“Fatima,” is the 1917 story of Fathough all three were assured by the nonviolent offenders. cause of enhancements, Attorneys Council. Its tima, Portugal, where three children Blessed Mother that they would go to State Question 805 fowhich are at the discrechairman, Jason Hicks, claimed to be visited by the Blessed heaven. cuses on sentence ention of prosecutors. has said punishment Mother of Christ. Yet hell is also a sober reminder for hancements. If approved, An analysis by the should be harsher for

I tend to believe them, so maybe I all of us. it would prohibit the use Oklahoma Council of someone who has comshouldn’t say claim. Despite this incredible event in of prior felony convictions Public Affairs, a conservamitted additional of

Mary told the children to meet her 1917, there are still millions who are to enhance sentences in tive think tank, of records fenses. Hicks also argues at a particular site for five more not believers. nonviolent cases, and from criminal convictions that public safety would months. At the end of the sixth It’s like what Mary told the children would let those serving found that enhancements be compromised by apmonth, she promised to show the in the film. I may be paraphasing here, time for nonviolent are used in four out of proval of SQ 805. world a miracle. but she said no amount of evidence or crimes who were senfive cases where they are At least one prosecu

That turned out to be the “Miracle miracles would be enough to convince tenced with an enhanceavailable, resulting in sentor, however, supports of the Sun.” The sun danced around some people. ment to petition the tences that, on average, SQ 805. Allan Grubb, DA and then appeared to be on a direct That is sad also. Yet what isn’t sad is court to have their senare 36% longer than for Pottawatomie and Lincollusion court with earth. Needless to how inspirational Fatima is. The movie tences reduced. those without the encoln counties, says the say, that scared many of the people is a good reminder of faith and God. SQ 805 is the work of hancement. proposal does not limit who were there. Eventually the sun (Steve Gust, editor of Edmond Life Oklahomans for SentencApproval of SQ 805 prosecutors’ discretion settled back down. & Leisure, may be reached at ing Reform, a bipartisan should reduce the prison and would not affect mis

That huge crowd has been estinews@edmondpaper.com) group that also led the population by 8.5% in demeanor enhancements. Addressing a concern raised by some of his colleagues, Grubb wrote in The Oklahoman recently that SQ 805 “will not harm domestic violence survivors. … SQ 805 will still allow us to seek maximum sentences or decide to charge perpetrators of abuse with a violent offense.” The 2016 reforms approved by voters were changes to statutes, and thus can be revised by the Legislature. SQ 805 would amend the state constitution, meaning any later change would require another vote of the people. Gov. Kevin Stitt is among those who oppose SQ 805 for that reason, saying a better solution would be “a thoughtful, well-researched sentencing code” from the Legislature. That would be ideal. However, lawmakers haven’t shown much of a willingness to take on such reforms, leaving voters to decide the issue for themselves in November.

Why a working mom put kids in school

By Anastasia Boden

Insidesources.com

Last month, I put my kids back into daycare. Is it because I don’t care about my kids and dismiss the risk of COVID-19? Of course not. I care deeply about the well-being of my children and I take the human consequences of the pandemic seriously.

But I can also calculate risk and measure tradeoffs. I’ve read the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendations, which suggest that the harms caused by remote learning (like social isolation and severe learning loss) outweigh the risk of coronavirus to children. I’ve read the studiesdemonstrating that remote learning has negative long-term effects on kids, which can lead to “poorer, shorter, less fulfilling lives.”

Based on my discussions with our school’s administrators and teachers, I’m confident they have crafted a solid plan to reduce the potential risk of infection through social distancing, masks and common sense. And I’m willing to take responsibility for my choice.

I also receive tremendous satisfaction from doing my job and doing it well, and I know I cannot do it as well when my kids are at home. There’s been a fair amount of sneering at working parents, as if they’re malicious for wanting to work when the reality is that they’re working to be productive, to provide for their families, to maintain their mental health, and to do the best they can for their children. Not to mention that not all jobs can be performed on a remote basis.

That’s not to say it’s an easy choice. Putting my kids back in school has meant having to endure painful separation from family members and friends who don’t share the same level of risk tolerance, or who, because of their age or health status, cannot risk any level of exposure. When my father was hospitalized last month with a rare auto-immune disease, I wasn’t able to visit him in part because my kids were in school. Not every

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one would make the same choice, but that’s what makes us individuals.

If my kids were just a few years older, I wouldn’t have the choice to return them to school, because in California (where I live), Gov. Gavin Newsom has effectively decided to close all schools, regardless of what parents, local health authorities or individual teachers want. The idea of one person choosing for every man, woman and child whether to go back to school is contrary to fundamental American ideals. Embedded in our Constitution is the fundamental right to direct the upbringing of one’s children.

As the Supreme Court has stated, “the child is not the mere creature of the state.” Respect for people’s autonomy requires us to “presume that fit parents act in the best interests of their children,” leaving the state with little reason to “inject itself into the private realm of the family” or to upset parental choices.

Newsom’s one-size-fits-all solution is a vast assumption of power that takes rational debate out of the public sphere. And it deprives people of the ability to decide what’s best for themselves and to choose (or to create) innovative solutions that fit their own needs.

There is no one “correct” choice about whether to send children to schools because there are tradeoffs to each option. The risk of infection is real, and we’re still learning about the effect of COVID on kids. The risks created by closing schools to in-person learning are also real, particularly for kids from lower-income families (who get their only meals from school), or for specialneeds children (for whom remote learning will

State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd has appointed the associate general counsel for the University of Oklahoma (OU) to the Board of Directors of Oklahoma’s Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET).

Susanna Gattoni was appointed to the TSET Board of Directors by Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd. Gattoni will represent the 5th Congressional District, which includes most of Oklahoma County and all of Pottawatomie and Seminole counties.

“The oversight and accountability of TSET funds is paramount to the agency’s ability to fulfill its mission,” Byrd said. “I look forward to the knowledge and insight Susanna Gattoni will bring the board as my designee. Susanna is an attorney who has gained a wealth of real-world experience during her career. She will be an asset to the TSET board.”

Gattoni earned her bachelor’s and juris doctor degrees from OU where she graduated with highest honors. She has worked at law firms in both Tulsa and Oklahoma City. From 2006-2008, she served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma, working in both the white collar and violent crime sections.

Since 2018, Gattoni has provided legal advice to the OU administration as associate general counsel on both the Norman and Tulsa campuses. She represents OU in all state and federal investigations.

“TSET’s mission to improve the health of Oklahomans through prevention and research is one that speaks to me personally,” Gattoni said. “I’m excited for this opportunity to serve the people of Oklahoma by working with TSET to address the major causes of premature and preventable death in our state.”

In 2014, Gattoni was the recipient of the Courageous Lawyer Award from the Oklahoma Bar Association for pro bono work. She received the Leadership in the Law award from “The Journal Record” in 2012. She is not work), or for parents who will be forced to leave their children unsupervised at home. Not everyone will weigh these risks in the same way.

The same should be said for teachers; it should be their choice about whether to return to in-person learning. If they don’t feel comfortable, they shouldn’t be forced to go back ― although there’s a separate question of whether they should be paid full salary and benefits if they do not return to work. The teachers at my kids’ school have expressed that they prefer to be back at work; they feel safe under the new protocols and they derive joy from being there.

Yet, for primary school through

Mom

Susanna Gattoni

a board member for Susan G. Komen Oklahoma and an alumni of Leadership Class 31 for Oklahoma City. She resides in Oklahoma City with her husband, Dameon Allensworth, and her son, Peter.

“Ms. Gattoni brings a wealth of professional and personal experience to the TSET Board of Directors,” said Julie Bisbee, TSET executive director. “Her knowledge, passion and desire to make a difference in the health of Oklahomans will be an asset as the board oversees the funding and outcomes of TSET grants and programs.”

The TSET Board of Directors, appointed by seven different elected officials and representing each of the state’s five congressional districts, oversees the expenditure of the earnings to fund grants and programs to prevent and reduce tobacco use and obesity. The Board of Directors also invests in cutting-edge research to reduce the toll of tobacco-related diseases in Oklahoma.

The 5th Congressional District was previously represented by Dr. Curtis Knoles whose term ended June 30.

TSET is funded by a portion of the payments received by the State of Oklahoma as part of a 1998 Master Settlement Agreement. The tobacco

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high school, Newsom has taken that choice off the table. Allowing politicians to choose rather than parents, teachers and local health officials leads to the funny result that schools are closed while retailers, racetracks, casinos and the entire entertainment industry remains open.

There are no easy choices here, but making tough choices is the privilege of being human. In an uncertain situation, allowing people to decide for themselves respects their autonomy and dignity. I’m grateful this choice was mine to make.

Boden is an attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation. She wrote this for InsideSources.com .

Gross Receipts to the Treasury slipped by almost five percent in August with oil and gas production taxes the primary driver, State Treasurer Randy McDaniel announced last week.

August receipts from all sources total $979.5 million and are below collections from August 2019 by $47.3 million, or 4.6 percent. It marks the fifth time since February, the start of the national recession, that total receipts have been less than those of the prior year.

Collections from the gross production tax, the state’s severance tax on oil and natural gas, fell by 46.3 percent, generating $40.7 million, or $35.1 million less than a year ago. Monthly gross production receipts have been less than the same month of the prior year for 12 consecutive months.

“The gross receipts report provides evidence of the challenges facing Oklahoma’s anchor industry,” Treasurer McDaniel said. “Oil and gas tax receipts have dropped by more than $430 million during the past year. We will likely see a growing ripple effect into other sectors of the economy.”

August oil and gas receipts reflect production activity during June, when West Texas Intermediate crude oil averaged $38.11 per barrel. Prices rose to $42.34 in August, but drilling activity and energy-related employment have continued to drop. July reports show 34,100 oil field employees in Oklahoma, down by 14,400 over the year. Rigs counts were set at 11 in August, a sharp reduction from 80 rigs last August.

In addition to gross production collections, receipts from sales tax and motor vehicle taxes were below those of August 2019 by 4.4 percent and 8.2 percent respectively. Gross income tax receipts rose by 4.8 percent and use taxes paid on out-of-state

purchases increased by 2 percent in August compared to the prior year.

Cumulative gross receipts from the past 12 months total $13.27 billion, down by $455.8 million, or 3.3 percent, from the trailing 12-month period. All major revenue sources except for corporate income tax and use tax are less than those of the previous 12 months.

Other economic indicators

The Oklahoma Business Conditions Index in August remained above growth neutral for a third month, following three months of numbers indicating economic contraction. The August index was set at 61.8, down from 69 in July. Numbers above 50 indicate economic expansion is expected during the next three to six months.

The unemployment rate in Oklahoma was reported as 7.1 percent in July, up from 6.4 percent in June. The seasonally adjusted number of Oklahomans listed as jobless was reported as 128,087, according to figures released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The U.S. unemployment rate was listed at 10.2 percent in July.

August collections

Compared to gross receipts from August 2019, collections in August 2020 showed:

Total August 2020 gross collections are $979.5 million, down $47.3 million, or 4.6 percent.

Gross income tax collections, a combination of individual and corporate income taxes, generated $278.8 million, an increase of $12.9 million, or 4.8 percent.

Individual income tax collections are $261.1 million, up by $2 million, or 0.8 percent.

Corporate collections are $17.7 million, an increase of $10.9 million,

See Reciepts, Page 12