Editorial: Committee to examine Oklahoma business recruitment needs to be diverse, honest

The Oklahoma Metropolis Republican mentioned he was bored with the state coming in as runner-up. Along with Volkswagen, the businesses and initiatives recognized to have gotten shut and handed on Oklahoma lately are Panasonic with its $4 billion electrical automobile battery plant final yr and Tesla’s Cybertruck Gigafactory in 2020. 

Panasonic opted for Kansas; Tesla went with Austin, Texas; and Volkswagen selected a Canadian location. There are seemingly extra firms not recognized publicly because of nondisclosure agreements. 

A press release from Gov. Kevin Stitt famous that Oklahoma was competing with a rustic for Volkswagen. That is true. However some U.S. states, together with Texas, California and Florida, have the next or equal GDP and inhabitants to Canada. 

We consider there’s extra occurring that turns off main firms.  

Oklahoma has among the many lowest taxes and cost-of-living within the nation and greatest enterprise tax incentives. It is clear {that a} monetary bundle is not the successful issue. 

Volkswagen’s assertion mentions that the corporate shares “the identical values of sustainability, duty and cooperation” as Canada and values its entry to “clear electrical energy.”

May this be at odds with an Oklahoma legislation handed final yr forbidding state investments in firms devoted to environmental, social and governance insurance policies?

With Panasonic, a bunch of conservative lawmakers criticized the corporate for its embrace of LGBTQ+ staff and for its variety, fairness and inclusion insurance policies.

The outsider view of Oklahoma proper now sees legal guidelines advancing within the Legislature that will ban sure books from public libraries, drag performances in public areas and gender-affirming well being care. It could see low public college and better schooling funding. 

State Superintendent Ryan Walters warned in opposition to attending Oklahoma’s faculties because of a so-called woke, liberal agenda. His posts on Twitter have been divisive, racist and derisive of public college academics.

Tulsa Regional Chamber officers instructed the Metropolis Council final yr that the state’s social points had been hurting enterprise recruitment.

Just lately, state officers set a aim for Oklahoma to be the following Texas.

Texas has a $2.4 trillion GDP, 29.5 million residents and 49 Fortune 500 firms (with 22 of these in Dallas). Oklahoma has a $195 billion GDP, 4 million residents and three Fortune 500 firms. 

Whereas Texas — or Florida — can face up to a tradition battle that loses an organization or two, Oklahoma can not. 

Deal with’s committee ought to begin with a much bigger, extra primary query: What does Oklahoma wish to be? 

Possibly some Oklahomans do not wish to be Texas with its megalopolis areas. If that is the case, then what do Oklahomans see for a future?

Are Oklahomans good with spending almost $700 million to entice a serious firm, or do they wish to sink that into current Oklahoma companies? How huge do cities wish to be? 

These are inquiries to discover.  

Deal with has the best response in forming a committee to do a self-evaluation. For it to achieve success, it must be composed of various members who will likely be sincere and communicate reality to energy. 

Creating a bunch of like-minded individuals will not give the angle and solutions Oklahoma wants. Use this chance to determine how Oklahoma may be one thing different states wish to turn into.