Published: May 31, 2008 11:51 am      

Lerblance says he’s running

U.S. District 7 state Sen. Richard Lerblance, D-Hartshorne, says he’s completed his first full term in the Senate.

Now, he’s ready to begin working toward a second one.

“I’ll be filing the first thing Monday morning,” Lerblance said.

“I feel that the past four years as your senator I have effectively represented you as your voice for your concerns, desires and good government,” Lerblance said, referring to his constituents. “I feel that I can justify my votes as being in the best interest of you and Oklahoma.”

During the past two years Lerblance has served on a number of Senate committees, including co-chair of the Judiciary Committee.

He said he’s also serving on the committees for Education, Energy and Criminal Jurisprudence, as well as the Appropriations Subcommittee for Public Safety and the Judiciary.

“I am a member of the Oklahoma Sentencing Commission, serving as chairman twice and this year as co-chairman. I am also on the Executive Committee of the Energy Council, a council of legislators from energy producing states, and serve as chairman of the Committee on Lotteries on the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States.”

Lerblance said he previously served as chairman of the Energy Committee.

“During this four year term, I have been honored by the National Association of Royalty Owners as its Outstanding Legislator, by OK-NARO as its Legislator of the Year and the Oklahoma Rural Water Association as its Legislator of the Year,” Lerblance said. ”I was recognized by the Oklahoma Municipal Utility Providers and the Oklahoma Trial Lawyers Association as its Senator of the Year.”

“I was recognized as one of the Senate Best of the 2007 Legislature by The Oklahoma Observer.” He said he’s already been endorsed by the Oklahoma Educators Association, the Oklahoma Public Employees Association and the Oklahoma Firefighters Association.

The past four years have been very challenging, Lerblance said.

“During the first two years, the Democrats were in control of the senate and the last two years, we, the Democrats, were tied with the Republicans and the senate operated under a power sharing agreement. This worked well for the most part; however, I feel that it did have some drawbacks.”

This year, the legislature was not able to give teachers the promised pay raise to help bring their salaries up to the regional average, Lerblance said.

“We were not able to give the state employees a pay raise. They have not had a meaningful pay raise for seven years. The only way we provided more money for roads and bridges was a bond package that was passed the last week of the session.”

“We were not able to provide funding for additional fire trucks for our rural and volunteer fire departments. We were not able to provide adequate insurance coverage for autism. We did not provide funding to pay the United States government for Sardis Lake, and the list goes on.”

Lerblance said he metioned those items because of tax cuts enacted the last two years.

At the end of the 2009 fiscal year budget, the state will have lost over $400 million in revenue that otherwise would have been available for appropriations, he said.

“Tax cuts are appreciated; however, to what extent does the state of Oklahoma want to go to have tax cuts and see services the state provides curtailed?”

“I was opposed to the tax cuts because of the failure to meet the expectations of the state of Oklahoma,” Lerblance said. “There were certain measures that provided tax cuts or tax relief that I did vote for. However, those that I voted for had a definite provision that I felt was beneficial and would help Oklahoma in the long run.”

“I have been a strong proponent for fully funding corrections. This year, although a standstill budget, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections was fully funded for FY 09. I have been saying that we either need to fully fund corrections or change our sentencing laws to help alleviate our serious prison overcrowding problem.”

Prisons are overcrowded because of illegal drugs, he said.

“I am ready to lead the charge to address the drug issue, admit that this is the number one issue facing our state and that we need to eliminate this problem.”

“Let’s work together, to rehabilitate those affected, get them straightened out, get them a good job, make a useful citizen out of them and see how Oklahoma will really prosper.”

Beginning with the 2008 term, he will be the fifth-ranking Democrat in the state Senate, Lerblance said.

“This experience is very important as it will allow me to continue to be a strong voice for my constituents in Senate District 7.”