CNHI News Service

OKLAHOMA CITY -- There are four state questions on the Nov. 7 ballot. Here is a translation of what the questions mean.

STATE QUESTION NO. 724 - STATE PAYMENTS TO LEGISLATORS

The language: "This measure amends Article V, Section 21 of the State Constitution. That Section deals with State pay to legislators. The amendment restricts State pay to some legislators. The pay restriction would apply to some legislators while in jail or prison. The pay restriction would apply to legislators found guilty of a crime. It would also apply to legislators who plead either guilty or no contest. Affected legislators must return any State pay received for time while in jail or prison."

The translation: The original legislation leading to this state question was proposed by Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant, and Rep. Trebor Worthen, R-Oklahoma City. The legislation was proposed in reaction to the 2004 arrest of former Rep. Mike O'Neal, R-Enid, who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of outraging public decency after an arrest where a woman accused him of grabbing her buttocks. Since it was a misdemeanor charge, O'Neal continued his legislative service and received his state pay.

This legislation would not remove the person from office, but would require a legislator convicted of a felony offense to pay back money earned while in jail, Gumm said.

STATE QUESTION NO. 725 - EXPENDITURES FROM RAINY DAY FUND TO AT-RISK MANUFACTURERS

The language: "This measure amends the State Constitution. It amends Section 23 of Article 10. The measure deals with the Constitutional Reserve Fund also known as the Rainy Day Fund. The measure allows money to be spent from the Rainy Day Fund. The purpose of the authorized spending is to retain employment for state residents by helping at-risk manufacturers. Payments from the Fund would be used to encourage such manufacturers to make investments in Oklahoma. All such payments from the Fund must be unanimously approved by three State officers. Those officers are the Governor and the head of the Senate and House of Representatives. Those officers could only approve payments recommended by an independent committee. Such spending is allowed in years when there is Eighty Million Dollars or more in the Fund and other conditions are met. Such spending is limited to Ten Million Dollars a year. The help given to a manufacturer is limited to ten percent of its in-State capital investments. The Legislature could make laws to carry out the amendment."

The translation: The original Senate bill was proposed by Sen. Debbe Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City, and Rep. John Nance, R-Bethany. This legislation would provide help to manufacturing companies that are financially at risk.

Leftwich said the companies will have to jump through a lot of hoops and must make an initial $1 million investment to potentially receive help from the state's Rainy Day fund. The Rainy Day fund is an emergency reserve fund. This legislation requires a minimum of $80 million in the reserve in order to allocate resources to at-risk manufacturers, and no more than $10 million can be spent per year.

The legislation would even help towns with a small manufacturing company that provides 25 or 50 jobs because "just losing that much affects a community," Leftwich said.

But Rep. Mike Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, has concerns.

"If a company is at risk, it is because they are not making a profit," he said. The investment is at the taxpayers' expense and contradicts the nation's capitalistic society, Reynolds said.

What bothers Reynolds is if there is extra money in the Rainy Day fund. He thinks excess money should be returned to taxpayers. He also said the money is supposed to be used for emergencies.

"I don't think artificially propping a company up is a solution," Reynolds said.