Dear Leflore County Voters,

I would like to share some history about who I am being a Candidate for County Assessor.

• I was born in Clarksville, Texas
•1987 Graduate of Southside High School Ft. Smith, Arkansas
•I am a Veterans of the United States Air Force and an Administrative Specialist in the United States Air Force for 3 years
• Resided in Southeast Oklahoma in the Haw Creek Community, where my husband and I have raised our family.
• Married for 24 years to Marty Morrison
• Children: Levi Morrison of Heavener, Megan and Husband Frank of Grove, Oklahoma, Dustin and wife Whitney of Poteau and Blake of Poteau. And 10 grandchildren.
• Active member of Big Creek Baptist Church.
• Served on Haw Creek Fire Department for 6 years. Completed Firefighter 1 and was an Emergency Medical Responder.
• Grower for Ok Foods for 20 years raising broiler chickens.
• operate a cattle ranch (which we enjoy so much)
• Have 2 businesses in Heavener, Oklahoma.
• Now I feel like I have the time and opportunity to serve my County. Want to be a fair and honest public servant to the taxpayers. Working with you through everything that arises. So ready for the education that comes with this position to assure that I will be able to answer and help in all situations.
Thank you,
Deana Morrison

Paid for by Deana Morrison for LeFlore County Assessor

My name is Gaylon E. Freeman. I am the current LeFlore County Assessor and am running for re-election for my second term of office. I would appreciate your vote on June 28th.

My background includes teaching for over 30 years, being a principal for three years and a coach for 10 years. In addition, I was elected and served two years as the Mayor of Pocola and also served ten years on Pocola’s Board of Trustees. I am a graduate of Leadership LeFlore County 2019. My faith also plays an important role in my life. I have gone on more than 200 mission trips to foreign countries, including Mexico, Panama, and Australia.

Working in the Assessor’s Office requires passing state exams for certification. During my first term as Assessor, I passed all of the required classes, and was one of few who accomplished this in less than five months, receiving all my certifications by March of 2019. But I didn’t stop there.

In July of 2020 I started the journey to complete the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) designation of Assessment Administration Specialist, which is 185.5 hours of training over and above the Oklahoma requirements. I am a member of the Oklahoma Chapter of IAAO and designated as a Professional Member, having completed the coursework in Fundamentals of Real Property Appraisal, Income Approach to Valuation, Fundamentals of Mass Appraisal, Assessment Administration, Tax Policy, Standards of Professional Practice and Ethics and a Case Study in preparation for a four-hour test regarding scenarios often present in the Assessor’s office, while also preparing for an eight-hour Master Exam qualifying me for the AAS designation. This has been a rewarding experience personally, but more importantly it allows me to better serve the taxpayers of LeFlore County.

The Assessor’s Office has accomplished much since I first came to office. We settled a multi-million-dollar dispute with AES. We upgraded our fleet of vehicles and still managed to save the taxpayers money with the purchases. We upgraded the computer systems in our office in order to run an all-new Computer Aided Mass Appraisal software system which went “live” on March 12, 2021. We increased the use of technology in the visual inspection of properties, using iPads with property identification software, laser-measuring instruments, Garmin and Apple mapping software, with each vehicle also having an office iPhone to provide better communication in the field with the office. This has led to greater productivity in our office.

Before March 10 of each year, every taxpayer in LeFlore County whose change of assessed value (CAV) increases more than $1 is to receive a notice in the mail of their right to protest the assessed values. Prior to my tenure, the LeFlore County Assessors’ office had never mailed any CAVs unless the change was over $5,000. When I was new to the office, I followed that pattern, but after studying the issues and consequences, in March of 2020 that level was dropped to $2,500 and dropped again to the $1,000 level this past year. I lobbied with the Assessors’ Association and with our Legislative Representatives and Senators of LeFlore County, the Lt. Governor Pinnell and State Senator Nathan Dahm, on behalf of the office, to change the statute to reflect the cost of doing business in today’s money, not based on the value of a dollar when the legislation originally passed.

Because of several rule changes made to the Agricultural Exemption Card qualifications, the Assessor’s Office must now follow Trending Guidelines or face disqualification from the office. This is why many items on a farmer’s or business’ personal property values increased in the last year alone!

I have spent many late hours studying the more than 3,000 pages of statutes and laws governing the office, preparing reports after meeting taxpayers, and solving software issues during the day, hiring qualified staff, networking with 76 other county assessors, following Oklahoma Tax Commission Ad Valorem Division Rules and Guidelines.

I recently received and “A” rating from OK2A – Oklahoma Second Amendment organization and on May 19, was asked by Notie H. Lansford, Jr. Professor & Extension Economist Program Leader, County Training Program Department of Agriculture Economy Stillwater, OK. to serve on their Advisory Board. I have 15 hours of training through this office for Budget Process 1 & 2 and Overview of County Government.

I am a Certified Financial Counselor through Lampo Group of Brentwood, TN. the parent company for the Dave Ramsey Solutions organization where I have led over 20 classes helping people with $12,000 yearly income to millionaires to get out of debt and build wealth for the future.

As you can see, the responsibilities and duties of this office are varied and sometimes complex. That is why it is absolutely vital that we elect someone who already has the necessary training, knowledge, experience and work ethic to properly and equitably do the job for each and every taxpayer. Thank you for allowing me to serve as your County Assessor these past 3.5 years and humbly ask for your vote for Gaylon E. Freeman on June 28th. Thank you

On Friday last week, the House voted on a $9.84 billion general appropriations bill to fund state government for Fiscal Year 2023, which starts July 1. The measure was sent to the governor, and he has until Thursday at midnight to act on it.

This budget includes Historic high funding for education - $3.2 billion for K-12 and $873 million (a 7% increase) for higher education. We also for the first time authorized about $401.9 million for the Teacher's Retirement Revolving Fund.

We also appropriated $15.7 million ($4 million more than FY22) to fully fund concurrent enrollment programs for high school juniors and seniors this year, which will be a big deal for Carl Albert State College. These programs are great in helping prepare high schoolers for college and in getting them some advance college credits.

Together, this totals about 48% of our overall state budget for education. In addition to state funding, K-12 schools have received just under $1.5 billion in federal relief money, and higher education has gotten about $600 million.

Also this year, we increased the County Improvement for Roads and Bridges Fund by $5 million a year for five years, taking the total up to $150 million by the end Fiscal Year 2027. Many counties also received American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money, and each has discretion on how to spend such funding within federal limitations. Some counties have chosen to use some of their direct ARPA funding for county road and bridge purposes.

Our budget also gives Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers a 30% pay raise. This is the first increase they've received in seven years. We also are funding an academy for new troopers. As troopers retire, we need fresh recruits to replace them so we can keep motorists on state roadways in all 77 counties safe.

We appropriated $30 million to the Rural Economic Area Partnership Program, which makes grants available to rural communities throughout the state to help with projects that otherwise would go unfunded. These can include road repairs, equipment purchases, utility infrastructure, and much more.

One area of the budget in which I am ashamed is the pitiful amount we are returning to taxpayers. We voted to send rebates of $75 to individual taxpayers and $150 to families. We also restored the sales tax exemption of 1.25% on motor vehicle purchases. But this is too little. I want to apologize to my constituents for failing to return more of their money to them.

When this budget is signed into law, we'll have almost $3 billion in state savings' accounts. I know some of that might be necessary to help us deal with future economic downturns, but that's a lot of taxpayer money for the government to keep ahold of.

Also this year, we've set aside almost $1 billion for economic development projects to lure a global manufacturer to the state. We've promised them tax rebates in exchange for development and jobs. I like both of those things, but in 2018, this legislative body voted to raise taxes on Oklahomans to give teachers a raise. This year, when we have record state revenues topping $11 billion, we are giving money away to a global company instead of returning it to our taxpayers. We're picking winners and losers.

Remember to listen to me on KPRV Radio at 7:30 a.m. every Thursday for my legislative update.

As always, if I can help you with anything, feel free to call my Capitol office at (405) 557-7413 or email me at rick.west@okhouse.gov.

• Rick West serves District 3 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes part of LeFlore County.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Raydon McCullough, a junior at Idabel High School, served as a page for Rep. Eddy Dempsey, R-Valliant, at the Oklahoma State Capitol May 2-5 during the second session of the 58th Legislature.

McCullough participates in football, basketball, track, golf and powerlifting. He was named to the All District choir all four years of high school and received 1s at All State choir each year as well. He is also a member of the academic team. McCullough plans to study marine biology at the University of Miami.

"It was great to host Raydon as a page at the House," Dempsey said. "He was an enthusiastic learner and diligent worker while he was here, and I pray that he remains an informed, civically-engaged citizen throughout his life."

Pages are assigned for one week, Monday through Thursday, while we’re in session, which is from the first Monday in February until the last Friday in May. The students work in the House Chamber during daily session, run errands for representatives and staff, and take part in the House Page Mock Legislature on the floor of the House Chamber.

Dempsey, a Republican, is in his first term representing House District 1. His district includes McCurtain County and southern Le Flore County.

• Rep. Eddy Dempsey, a Republican, represents House District 1 at the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes McCurtain County and southern LeFlore County.