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Published: August 19, 2006 01:26 am

Istook: Immigration uppermost on voters’ minds

By Jeff Mullin

Senior Writer


As he travels the state campaigning for governor, Republican Congressman Ernest Istook hears one issue mentioned above all others — immigration.

“Washington’s failure to act on immigration has created a need to act at the state level,” said Istook Friday during a visit with members of the News & Eagle’s editorial board.

Istook advocates denying illegal immigrants public benefits and passing legislation punishing companies that hire illegal workers.

“If they can’t get work or benefits, they will go home,” said Istook. “Oklahoma won’t be the first to do it, but we’d better not be the last.”

Istook also advocates making English the official language of Oklahoma.

“Twenty-eight other states have done so,” he said, “we are slow in doing it.”

Istook chided his opponent, Democratic Gov. Brad Henry, for not appearing at a gubernatorial forum Friday morning in Oklahoma City, sponsored by the Oklahoma Municipal League.

“The governor has to be available,” said Istook, “he has to show up for things.”

Paul Sund, gubernatorial spokesman, said Wednesday the governor’s office had received more requests for appearances than can be fulfilled.

Istook said he intends to be a “hands-on governor” and plans to hold regular public forums, much as he has as representative of Oklahoma’s 5th District.

“I want to hear what the people are saying,” said Istook, “and let them hear what I am working on rather than just reading press releases.”

Istook said he plans to focus on shrinking the size of Oklahoma’s government and growing its economy.

“Government does better with a smaller percentage of a larger economy rather than a larger percentage of a smaller economy,” he said. “In the last two years we have seen a 31 percent growth in state government, while inflation has been closer to 8 percent. We can’t let trends like that continue.”

He said he will support a Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights, if it winds up going before state voters, and if not said, “I want to help craft a better version.”

Istook said the tax system in Oklahoma needs to be changed to keep entrepreneurs from creating businesses in the state and taking them elsewhere.



“We generate a lot of entrepreneurs from Oklahoma, but a lot of them are now in Florida, Texas and some in Wyoming,” he said. “They have left Oklahoma for tax reasons.”

Istook opposes raising the minimum wage, calling such an increase “counterproductive.”

“Most people earning minimum wage are passing through the minimum wage phase in their work,” he said. “If you increase the minimum wage, you are cutting the bottom rungs off the ladder someone needs to climb to better wages and financial independence. If raising the minimum wage boosted prosperity they ought to vote tomorrow to raise it to $100 an hour.”

Istook said he supports making the Legislature responsible for determining tuition rates at state colleges and universities, not the board of regents. In June, Henry vetoed legislation that would have stripped the power to set tuition rates from the State Regents for Higher Education and given it to the Legislature.

“You will never have accountability if you don’t have elected people involved in that decision,” said Istook. “The Legislature was right to assert themselves to say they should have a role. You can’t leave it to the regents.”

Istook said he is hopeful Republicans will attain control of the state Senate in November, but he added his experience at the federal level will help him deal with a divided state government if he is elected.

“I had to reconcile differences with United States senators of the opposing party,” said Istook. “That is a major challenge, and I tackled it successfully. As subcommittee chairman, I have negotiated multi-billion dollar pieces of legislation. I will have the ability to negotiate with state legislators of the opposing party.”