Corn told about 20 who attended the meeting in Sallisaw that the most critical items on the agenda of the State Legislature are empowering the middle class; strengthening small business; and a safer Oklahoma.
Corn spoke earlier in the day to residents in Roland and Muldrow.
Corn said he expected conflict in this year's legislature. "I have seen more partisanship this year than in the first seven years I've been in the legislature," Corn said.
One item to be considered this year will be controlling illegal immigration to take the increased financial burden caused by illegal immigration off the state's schools, health providers, and other agencies.
"The flow of illegal immigrants must stop," Corn said. "Most people don't mind if people immigrate to this country legally. The real rub with the public and state government...is that many immigrate illegally and are not paying taxes or meeting other responsibilities."
Corn said one proposal will penalize businesses for hiring illegal immigrants, and another will require employers to ask for proof of citizenship.
"We are planning an OSBI (Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation) immigration unit. We are also planning to authorize the OHP (Oklahoma Highway Patrol) and other law enforcement agencies to stop and hold illegal immigrants. We've found states all across the south are doing this," Corn said.
"One of the largest issues we face this year will be tort reform," Corn said.
He said the civil justice reforms the Legislature enacted in 2003 and 2004 are working. "Lawsuits have dropped by one-third," Corn said.
But he added, "Lawsuits can still plague small businesses. There are other things that we can do to improve the system on the front end, such as allow judges to enter into mediation earlier...rather than letting these lawsuits drag on for years."
Corn said the Lawsuit Responsibility Act will require lawsuits to move more quickly through the system, would reduce frivolous lawsuits early by making it easier for judges to dismiss frivolous suits, and would prevent attorneys from dragging a case out for years with little or no action.
The act would also limit advertising by attorneys, Corn said.
"This proposal will reduce the cost of doing business in Oklahoma, especially for small businesses," Corn said. "Frivolous claims and suits that linger for years add to the costs of doing business for small business owners.
"We want to let people know that the courtroom is not a place you can get rich any more," Corn said.
"The state budget will be our biggest issue this year," Corn said.
Corn said plans are for the county to receive $100,000 this year to prepare for the state's centennial in 2007, explaining that money will help such historical county attractions as Sequoyah's Cabin.
"We think that is going to happen," Corn said.
Education will also be a large part of the state's budget, Corn said.
A $3,000 pay raise across the board for teachers is proposed, Corn said, and the legislature will encourage more teachers to get national certification.
More funding for the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP) will also be sought. Corn said proposed legislation would provide an extra $500 a year to OHLAP students who are working on science and math degrees.
In addition, it is proposed that the limit for OHLAP family incomes will be raised from $50,000 to $75,000. "That will make children in 85 percent of Oklahoma's households eligible," Corn said.
Students in OHLAP must maintain a passing grade average and stay out of trouble while in school. For achieving those goals, the student's tuition is paid to state schools.
Although OHLAP is expensive, studies show the program boosts the state's economy with higher educated workers.
Some proposals for helping middle class residents include a back-to-school sales tax holiday on the same dates as the tax holiday in Texas and an income tax credit of up to $1,200 for middle-class families who purchase health insurance for their children.
Health insurance is also a concern. State lawmakers are proposing a bill that will help small businesses that pay more than minimum wage with health insurance premiums. Corn said the legislation proposes that the state pay for 70 percent of health insurance premiums for small businesses which have 50 employees or less. The business would pay 15 percent of the premium and the employee will pay the remaining 15 percent.
"We need to do some things for the middle class," Corn said. "The low and the high income classes are O.K., but the middle class is getting squeezed."
Corn said the legislative leadership has plans for additional agents for the OSBI, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, and the Alcohol Beverage Law Enforcement Agency, and additional staff for the medical examiner's office and the pardon and parole board.
"We will propose a pay raise for the officers and agents in all state law enforcement agencies," Corn said, "and will call for additional funding for the Council of Law Enforcement Training and Education."
Additional prison guards are needed by the Department of Corrections (DOC), Corn said, pointing out the state has about 25,000 inmates and only about 500 guards. Corn proposes a $3,200 pay hike for guards, and 150 more prison guards. He said the state was going to have to supplement this year's DOC budget by $21 million to make it to the end of the fiscal year on June 31.
"The DOC will be broke in March if we don't," Corn said.
Corn said the DOC will probably need $40.5 million more for the next fiscal year.
"Drugs continue to be a major problem," Corn said. He cited legislation approved last year, which limits the amount of ingredients illegal drug makers can buy, but the problem continues.
"Now we have drugs being imported from Mexico," Corn said. "We need to add agents with an Hispanic background to the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs...to put these guys in jail. Until you break the economics of it (drugs) you're not going to break the back of drug cartels."
The state's roads, bridges, water supplies and fire departments all need help, Corn said.
"We've got to fix the bridges and roads in this state," Corn said, for both safety and economic reasons. He estimated the state will put $2.5 billion into road maintenance in the next year.
About the state's water infrastructure, Corn said, "We must find a way to protect our water (systems). We have legislation which proposes to put another $22.5 million into the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.
"We've got to invest in Oklahoma to keep the state growing and prosperous," Corn said.
Corn noted that the drought of 2005-6 has resulted in over 400,000 acres burned in the state and firefighters, most of whom are volunteers, out of money with worn out equipment.
"We are woefully unprepared to fight fires in this state," he said. "We are proposing an immediate appropriation from the Rainy Day Fund to replace the worn out equipment that these fire departments are being forced to use."
Other proposals include doubling operational grant appropriations for rural fire departments, delivering the money at the beginning of the fiscal year rather than at the end, and a tax credit to reimburse small business owners who employ volunteer firefighters for when the firefighters must leave their employment to fight fires.
"We want to give volunteer firefighters more training and make sure they don't lose their jobs when they have to fight a fire," corn said.
Corn said the state must have a plan for the future.
That includes funding a 10-year water plan for the state at a cost of $6.5 million; appropriating $25 million for the statewide Water Development Revolving Fund; and an additional $25 million appropriation for the fund to assist communities which will need $5.4 billion for water and wastewater projects over the next 20 years."
In answer to questions from the audience, Corn spoke out against TABOR, or the Taxpayers Bill of Rights. Corn said TABOR will probably be on the general election ballot in November. He said if voters approve the proposal, all programs would have to be cut across the board.
"It cannibalizes your system," Corn said. "It limits spending to no more money than was spent the previous year, with the exception of allowances for growth and inflation."
Corn also said he had little control over the bouncing price of gasoline. Although Corn said oil company executives, "in big cars and alligator boots," visited with legislators and talked about how poorly their businesses were doing, he found it unlikely. Corn said the price of gasoline "is out of control. And the federal government isn't doing anything about it. That's the problem."
The legislature convenes Monday, and Corn invited anyone who wished to call, write or e-mail him in Oklahoma City or at his home in Poteau.
In Oklahoma City, Corn's address is Room 427, State Capitol Building, Oklahoma City, Okla. 73105. His telephone number is (405) 521-5576. His e-mail address is cochran@oksenate.gov.
In Poteau, Corn's address is 101 Patrick Lane, Poteau, Okla. 74953-2020, or PO Box 206, Howe, Okla. 74930. His telephone number is (918) 647-5030.
