As lawmakers faced a $1.3 billion shortfall this year, a wide range of cuts were discussed, along with various fee and tax increases. But one thing was never aggressively pursued as a cost-saving measure, at least publicly: forgoing a 35 percent increase in legislative pay set to take effect in November.

In 2019, the Legislative Compensation Board voted to boost legislators annual pay from $35,021 to $47,500, effective November 2020. The total cost of the pay raise is more than $1.8 million for all 149 lawmakers — $1.2 million in the House and just under $600,000 in the Senate.

In July 1969, three American astronauts landed on the moon. It wasn’t just a great technical triumph, it was a much-needed respite amid social and political chaos.     America was already beset by Vietnam and civil rights struggles. That summer of 1969, things got worse. The nation was shocked by news of a riot after a confrontation between gay rights activists and police outside the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village on June 28. Then came news of the drowning of Mary Jo Kopechne in a fatal vehicle accident by an intoxicated Sen.

“It was once said that the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped.” — Hubert H. Humphrey, Vice President of the United States

LAWSUITS

Flagstar Bank vs. Kelli Dewitt and Dennis Dewitt for $208,822.10 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees and foreclosure of a mortgage on Lot 18, Block 16, Brookstone Lakes West Phase 4 Addition, Oklahoma City.

U.S. Bank N.A. vs. Gary Don Willhite for $148,496.20 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees and foreclosure of a mortgage on Lot 21, Block 6, Woodrun Addition, Oklahoma City.