Gov. Kevin Stitt is main a turnaround in Oklahoma.

He’s set a aim of constructing Oklahoma a high 10 state in America by reducing taxes and rising the economic system, empowering dad and mom, and being a vacation spot the place extra folks name dwelling.

He visited The Every day Sign to speak concerning the large points going through Oklahoma and a Supreme Court docket case that introduced him to Washington, D.C., final week.

Hearken to the interview or learn a calmly edited transcript beneath.

Rob Bluey: Governor, welcome to The Every day Sign.

Gov. Kevin Stitt: Thanks a lot. Such an honor to be with you and love coming to D.C., and it’s simply enjoyable getting up right here and trying out our nation’s capital.

Bluey: Glorious. You’ve stated that you’re not glad with the established order. You wish to make Oklahoma the best state on this nation. Inform us about your plan for turning round Oklahoma.

Stitt: Completely. Properly, first off, I come from the personal sector. I’d by no means ran for public workplace of any type. I began my firm with a thousand {dollars} and a pc once I was 27 and grew that over the following 20 years. And so, now we have in the present day 1,600 staff.

I ran a enterprise and I used to be taking a look at my state struggling in 2017 and ’18, and I used to be impressed to run. And I ran to make Oklahoma a high 10 state.

That’s the mantra. That’s the aspirational aim that I at all times speak about with my Cupboard and in addition Oklahomans. And we’re doing that now. I imply, we actually have the bottom unemployment in our state historical past proper now. We’re high 10 within the nation. We have now the most important financial savings account we’ve ever had in our state historical past. We’re ranked fourth nationally in that.

Extra persons are transferring into Oklahoma than ever earlier than. We have now 40,000 extra folks within the workforce. I minimize taxes for each single Oklahoman and enterprise final yr. Persons are beginning to get up to the pro-business, pro-freedom insurance policies that we’re rolling out in Oklahoma.

Bluey: You’re doing this at a time when there’s nice frustration right here in Washington with the Biden administration and its insurance policies. I imply, you may go down the checklist. To not point out the international coverage challenges, however simply right here at dwelling immigration’s an enormous subject, inflation is at file highs.

What are a few of the insurance policies, you’ve talked about some, that you desire to different governors to pursue that you’ve discovered success? And the way do they get to that time the place an increasing number of Individuals can benefit from the prosperity that Oklahomans are?

Stitt: I really like when, particularly once I’m in D.C., simply to convey some Oklahoma widespread sense to the Cupboard secretaries once I meet with President [Joe] Biden or the secretary of power. …

One thing that’s on all people’s thoughts proper now’s power coverage. And I’d like to speak about that for a second as a result of Oklahoma, I believe, will get it proper. We get it. We do it higher than every other state as a result of we’re an all-of-the-above strategy.

We’ve been an power innovator for over a century now and we expect, to have an trustworthy dialog a couple of transition, it’s important to speak about the place we’re in the present day and what are the wants of Individuals, proper?

We’re No. 6 in oil manufacturing within the U.S. We’re No. 4, pure gasoline. We’re so happy with our oil and gasoline trade, however what folks don’t understand about our state, we’re additionally No. 2 in wind power manufacturing.

We’ve bought a few of the cleanest water, cleanest air within the nation. We’re leaning into hydrogen proper now, but it surely doesn’t make widespread sense to us to exit and purchase oil from Russia or folks. As a result of right here’s the deal, the demand is identical, proper? We nonetheless are heating our houses and our companies. We’re driving to work and we’re taking our youngsters to piano classes or soccer observe.

So the demand’s the identical. So once you choke off provide, when each coverage from this administration is to attempt to damage provide, after which we’re going to make up for that demand by shopping for from those who don’t like us very a lot, it doesn’t make sense to us.

Let’s meet the wants from the sources now we have. And now we have sources in America, in Oklahoma, and in states like North Dakota and Pennsylvania. Let’s have trustworthy conversations about transferring pure gasoline with pipelines. It’s the most secure method to transfer oil and pure gasoline. However you have got states weaponizing these totally different [Environmental Protection Agency] guidelines to attempt to cease improvement.

That one coverage has led Oklahoma to be one of many most cost-effective electrical energy value to the buyer and to companies. So, due to this fact, we’re getting extra firms moved to our state. And we have to push again and have some trustworthy conversations to this administration about opening up and assembly the calls for of Individuals by our personal sources.

Bluey: What are a few of the different sights that you’ve in Oklahoma? … Apart from the power costs and the truth that you’re reducing taxes, there should be different components which are main folks to make that alternative with their toes and transfer into your state.

Stitt: Yeah. Clearly, taxes, regulation. I instructed all of our regulatory authorities to undergo any sort of code and have a look at it. So we’ve diminished laws by 25%.

Over a 115-year historical past our state’s been round, you routinely are going to have redundant, duplicative code from one company to a different company. So we’ve gone by way of it and we’ve diminished laws by 26%.

I inform all of my governing our bodies that we wish to be clear with the principles, however we by no means wish to play “gotcha” with the corporate. We wish to be actually clear, however we wish to let companies go compete.

And in Oklahoma, we worth companies. We recognize capital being invested. We promote and applaud and thank firms for hiring folks. I come from the enterprise world. I understand how onerous it’s to place your capital on the road. I wished to give up my very own firm a thousand instances as we had been struggling and I used to be having to mortgage my dwelling. And so, we all know how tough it’s. So, we wish to recognize that.

I’m recruiting firms in as a result of … wage progress goes up in my state. I’m recruiting firms with larger, medium incomes than the place we’re at as a state. We’ve moved the needle there.

I finally imagine we want extra taxpayers, no more taxes. And the economic system booming, boats are going to rise after we get the economic system going. And so, that’s sort of my job as governor. I’ve been the businessman and governor in Oklahoma.

Bluey: Congratulations on the success you’ve had. Shifting to a unique matter, which I additionally assume is on the minds of a variety of voters proper now, significantly dad and mom, and that’s schooling.

We noticed throughout COVID an increasing number of dad and mom being attentive to what’s taking place in their very own children’ schooling, as a result of they noticed it firsthand in their very own dwelling rooms and thru the Zoom calls and different issues that had been happening.

There are a selection of issues that we’ve seen close by in Virginia with the election of Gov. Glenn Youngkin, the place dad and mom actually catapulted him into the governor’s mansion. What are you doing in Oklahoma to empower dad and mom and ensure that they’ve a seat on the desk in the case of their children’ schooling?

Stitt: First off, I wholeheartedly have been pushing and making an attempt to get throughout the end line simply common college alternative and choices.

We have now expanded final yr what we referred to as “the scholarship invoice.” So children with IEPs, that means they’ve some sort of studying problem, if a public college can not meet that want, we would like them to have the ability to take these funds and go to a faculty that meets their wants. However actually, I need that for each child.

And what I imply by that’s college alternative shouldn’t be only for the wealthy, simply because you have got sources. We wish each child in Oklahoma to have the identical alternative. And why would I stand in the best way of a child that’s in a failing ZIP code, in a failing college, simply because they lived within the ZIP code, proper?

If this college shouldn’t be delivering for the dad and mom or they’re educating what dad and mom don’t need or they aren’t getting the child college-ready or career-ready, why are we standing in the best way?

Let’s fund the scholar, not the system, proper? We are saying that in Oklahoma. So let’s let that guardian select what’s the most suitable choice for them. It’s not going to defund our public faculties.

I really invested extra in schooling than every other earlier governor. I’m going to proceed to double down on that. I do know that’s our future, however you may’t micromanage each single classroom and each single e-book. …

You possibly can attempt to, and you may assume you may, however simply inject some competitors into the system. And that might clear up all the issues, permitting us to decide on the place most closely fits our child’s want, as a result of there’s not a one-size-fits-all. We all know that.

I’ve bought six children. Not all of my children be taught the identical means. I’ve bought a child that’s dyslexic, and I’ve bought this child that wants this. Our children don’t all go to the identical faculties and I need that for each single guardian.

Bluey: One other subject that’s on the minds of fogeys is ladies’s sports activities and women sports activities. And also you signed a invoice in March referred to as the Save Girls’s Sports activities Act. Inform us what that does and why it was essential so that you can take that motion.

Stitt: First off, it was my honor to signal that. It’s referred to as Save Girls’s Sports activities Act. And I bought interviewed by The Washington Submit proper after I signed it. And so they stated, “Governor, you signed this controversial invoice referred to as Save Girls’s Sports activities.”

And I stated, “Properly, first off, it’s not very controversial in Oklahoma. It’s widespread sense in our state. Principally, we wish to shield women’ sports activities. I’m not going to let a organic boy play in lady sports activities and take away a scholarship or their potential to win and compete.”

I had College of Oklahoma observe athletes, these younger ladies which are competing. I had one younger woman that got here to the press convention that was saying, “Thanks, Governor, as a result of I work at Northrop Grumman as a result of I graduated from OU. The rationale I got here to OU was due to a scholarship. And I can’t think about dropping my scholarship to a organic male.”

I met 14-year-old women which are the swimmers and soccer gamers and volleyball gamers making an attempt to compete they usually stated, “It might not be honest to compete in weightlifting towards a organic male.”

And so, anyway, it’s widespread sense to us and I used to be glad to get that throughout the end line. So, it wasn’t towards anybody individual. It was actually to guard women sports activities.

Bluey: That’s completely proper. Let me ask you a pair last questions right here, one on the problem of crime and unlawful immigration. You’re not too removed from the border. How has that subject impacted Oklahoma, and significantly as you stay up for the Biden administration wanting to finish Title 42 and have a fair larger inflow to the already file variety of unlawful immigrants coming on this nation?

Stitt: Yeah. Once more, it’s widespread sense to us, all people in Oklahoma, all people in Texas. I’ve been all the way down to the border with [Texas Gov. Greg] Abbott. I’ve checked out it. We have now to alter a pair insurance policies.

No. 1 is Stay in Mexico. President [Donald] Trump had that Day One. This president canceled it. And principally, all it stated was, “Should you’re going to hunt asylum within the U.S., then right here’s your courtroom date, however you’ve bought to stay in Mexico till that courtroom date comes out.”

What Biden modified would make all of the distinction by going again to the Trump insurance policies. He stated, “Yeah, come on and use all of the sources. Welcome to america. Get on each social program there’s. We don’t even know who you’re, however right here. And present again up two years from now to your courtroom date.” OK?

That’s creating this mass migration. Till we modify that, we’re not going to have the ability to cease the mass migration that’s coming. So we bought to alter that.

Once more, the medicine, all of the stuff that’s coming by way of from the southern border, it impacts—I’m the state proper north of Texas on I-35. Stuff’s coming proper by way of. All of our drug busts, the meth, the opioids, the fentanyl, all of the stuff that’s coming by way of is coming from the southern border.

And so, yeah, it’s a catastrophe for us and I’m doing every little thing I can to battle again and provides choices to President Biden. The issue is that they don’t wish to have actual conversations. All the pieces is political.

These folks aren’t enterprise folks. These persons are politicians. And all they’re interested by is placating to their constituents or some radical people on the left as an alternative of caring for Individuals. And it drives me loopy which you could’t have an trustworthy dialogue about this.

Bluey: Lastly, governor, you’re right here in Washington for a Supreme Court docket case. Two years in the past, the Supreme Court docket made a giant choice, the McGirt choice, which had profound implications in your state. I do know you’ve been important of the aftermath of that and what’s occurred.

What’s at stake on this present case? Carry our listeners on top of things. And I’m assuming that we’ll see a choice on this someday on the finish of June.

Stitt: That’s proper. The McGirt case, what it’s? Is 2 years in the past, the Supreme Court docket stated that reservation nonetheless exists in Oklahoma.

So there was a foul man named [Jimcy] McGirt, who was convicted of kid rape. He reveals his Indian card and will get his conviction overturned. And so, the Supreme Court docket stated reservation nonetheless exists in japanese Oklahoma.

What does that imply? It’s actually thrown our state into turmoil. We now have misplaced the flexibility to prosecute crimes in japanese Oklahoma. So, take into consideration that. Take into consideration Boston, rapidly the Supreme Court docket saying that’s not a part of Massachusetts. That’s what it appears like for Oklahomans.

Tulsa has 1,000,000 folks within the MSA and now that’s a part of a reservation. So the district legal professional, our state police, the sheriff, and the police can not prosecute crimes. And so what we requested the Supreme Court docket, and thank goodness that they accepted to listen to this case, was the Castro-Huerta case.

That is about defending an Indian youngster. So there was a 5-year-old, disabled, blind Indian lady who was really a member of a tribe in North Carolina. And this unhealthy man abused or nearly killed her.

And so the state prosecuted her and we’re wanting to have the ability to prosecute these crimes. And proper now the tribes and the federal authorities say the state can’t prosecute these crimes as a result of it was an Indian sufferer.

That is about regulation and order, that is about defending Indian victims. And that’s what this case is about. And hopefully the Supreme Court docket does the precise factor and reinstitutes justice for Oklahoma so we are able to really shield regulation and order.

The opposite factor I believe is essential in your listeners to grasp is, who’s an Indian? In Oklahoma we by no means had reservations. That’s the best way we’ve been since statehood till 2020. I’m an Indian, I’ve bought my Indian card. My six kids with blonde hair and blue eyes, they’ve their Indian card.

In different phrases, you might be 1/1,000th, 1/2,000th—there isn’t a blood quantum. So, it’s so onerous for our regulation enforcement to inform. You possibly can’t inform by trying who has an Indian card, who doesn’t.

And so now we’re having folks goal folks with an Indian automobile tag or one thing like that as a result of the fed’s personal admission, they don’t have the useful resource to prosecute crimes which are beneath like homicide and a few of the main stuff.

So, they’re not prosecuting automobile thefts. They’re not prosecuting dwelling burglaries if there’s a Native concerned. So, it’s disastrous proper now for my state.

Bluey: Governor, thanks for bringing us on top of things on that case and speaking about these different points. We recognize the commonsense strategy you’re bringing and hopefully different governors will look to you as a mannequin for what they will do for the residents of their states as properly.

Stitt: Properly, it’s an honor to be on with you. Thanks a lot for having me.

Bluey: Thanks.

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