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The Clinton Daily News
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A familiar face but one that’s
been fairly scarce in these
parts the last several years
was back in Clinton Thursday,
stumping for a new job. Drew
Edmondson, Oklahoma’s at-
torney general for 16 years
from 1995 to 2011, was here
looking for votes he hopes will
help him win the Democratic
Party’s nomination for gover-
nor and ultimately the state
governorship.
Already the leading fund-
raiser in either party among
2018 gubernatorial hopefuls,
Edmondson hosted another
fund-raiser here.
He also visited the Clinton
Daily News offices for an
interview. Asked what his
goals would be as governor,
he started with the big one.
“We’ve got to fix the budget,”
he said.
And that would mean in-
creasing revenues, or what
people pay in taxes, although
he didn’t use those words.
Specifically, he favors a
$1.50-per-pack cigarette tax
increase, which the Oklahoma
Legislature has consistently
refused. He also wants to
restore the Gross Produc-
tion Tax on oil and gas to 7
percent of production, which
was what it was before it was
Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.
lowered in 2015 to 2 percent
for the first 36 months of pro-
duction from new wells.
Finally, he would eliminate
the capital gains deduction
that state citizens and busi-
nesses get when they sell
Oklahoma-based properties
or stocks. He said that over a
five-year period, that cost the
state $465 million.
Essential core services of
government which must be
funded, he said, are health, CDN | Staff Photo
mental health, the Depart-
ment of Human Services, Former attorney general Drew Edmondson, left, now a
Department of Corrections, candidate for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination,
visited in Clinton last week with former district attorney
See EDMONDSON, page 3 Dennis Smith, center, and local farmer Jack Carpenter.
 The Clinton Daily News
EDMONDSON: Opposes term limits
FROM PAGE 1
Mar
roads and highways, and
20 of course education.
Asked about eliminat-
ing sales tax exemptions
2018 on certain products and
services, Edmondson
said, “They all need to
be reviewed.” But he
Page also said he’d seen a list
A003 that would bring in
$6.7 billion if the exemp-
Clip tions were taken off,
headed by raw materi-
resized als purchased for use
34% by manufacturers and
finished products sold
From by manufacturers to
A001 retailers, but he said he
would not disturb them.
On the other hand, he
said, “If there are items
that 45 states charge tax
on and we don’t,” it might
be time to look at doing so.
Social issues he was
questioned about includ-
ed medical marijuana,
which Oklahomans will
be voting on in about
three months.
“I’m prepared to vote
yes,” said Edmondson.
“I think the score is in.”
As the bill is presently
written, he called it “a
little loose” and said
the Legislature needs to
tighten it after it passes.
“The thing that wor-
ries me about it,” he
said, “is you’ll be able to
go to any medical practi-
tioner and get a card (to
buy marijuana legally
for medicinal purposes).
It’s not symptom specif-
ic; it’s not ailment spe-
cific. I think it’s written
loosely on purpose.”
He was also favorable
to hemp, which is in the
same plant family as
marijuana. Edmondson
said it’s been illegal to
grow since 1937 but the
2014 Farm Bill authorized
some experimentation.
“Several states have
already started pilot
projects . . . overseen by
M
how to get things done.” Edmondson indicated
Rather than disappear- Oklahoma schools have
ing, he said the power just been heading the wrong fi
went to lobbyists and long- way these days. t
term state employees. “House Bill 1017 t
“In the old days if passed in 1990 lowered i
there was a crazy bill,
the leader killed it,” he
class sizes and provided
mentor teachers in ev-
h
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declared. ery classroom,” he said. a
Edmondson was asked “There was a classroom m
how he would get re- size of 20 students. To- —
sults. He said party lines
have to be crossed, that
day all those reforms are
gone.”
h
s
is, Democrats must work It’s been about three t
with Republicans and years now since a pris- f
vice versa. oner was executed in d
“We always tried to get Oklahoma. Asked how n
both on our bills” when that could be changed, d
he was attorney general, or if it should be, Ed-
he said. Then he added, mondson indicated the c
“I will talk to anybody – executions are back- s
at least once.” logged because there o
One way he thinks he wasn’t a suitable lethal b
could get the two parties substance to end the if
talking to each other is lives of society’s worst.
through informal get- But he indicated that
togethers he would host may be about to change,
at the governor’s man- as there’s a substance
sion. “I want to open the called nitrogen hypoxia
governor’s home, have which works very well.
us talk to each other,” He said when he was
he said. “I don’t think attorney general, no
that’s happening now.” execution was ever held
Instead, he said the up for that reason. L
two sides are yelling No other states are
more at each other than presently using nitrogen
they’re talking. hypoxia, he said, and it
The subject returned to is being challenged. But w
education and this year’s he said in some Scan- t
hottest topic – pay raises dinavian countries it’s B
for teachers. He indi- being used for assisted T
cated the average raise suicides. L
nationwide is $19,000. Finally, Edmondson
“We can’t afford that,” he was asked if abortion is s
said, “but $5,000 would a settled issue.
be a good start.” “I don’t know what we
But all the education can pass in that arena
y
money can’t go to teach- that’s constitutional,” he y
ers either, he opined. answered. “Since May 1, S
“The schools themselves nobody has even asked –
are hurting too,” he said. me about it. It would l
“We need to make sure be up to Congress and Y
our schools are safe, and the federal courts. We r
secure. I’m more in favor can probably bring the a
of securing the front numbers down with age- t
door. I don’t think arming related education and i
teachers is a good idea.” birth control.” t
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Property of OPS News Tracker and members of the Oklahoma Press Association.