State Chamber CEO: Long legal disputes hurt Oklahoma business

The mission of the State Chamber of Oklahoma is straight forward: We fight to help businesses succeed in Oklahoma by creating a business climate that attracts new investment and provides expansion opportunities for existing companies. With this mission in mind, we were dismayed to see a decades-old legal dispute rear its head yet again, in a remarkable display of wasted time, energy and taxpayer dollars. What’s more, the continuous legal wrangling over a clearly settled issue hurts our state’s reputation as a good place to invest and grow jobs.

The legal dispute in question stems from a 1980s telephone utility rate case before the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC). The case has been heard and decided not once, not twice, but at least six times before the OCC and the Oklahoma Supreme Court. Six times. And yet, there are some who are once again asking the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to change history and ignore legal precedents.

For those of us who are committed to building a forward-looking Oklahoma, wasteful legal maneuvering like this makes us cringe. When legal issues arise and appeals are exercised, at some point the dispute has to be considered resolved. Otherwise, our state becomes a breeding ground of legal challenges that never die. That’s not a distinction we want. 

Oklahoma should be focused on the future, growing business, encouraging investment, creating jobs and driving prosperity – not hashing over a decades-old issue that has been resolved six times over.

From agriculture and aviation to energy and healthcare, Oklahoma’s economy is growing. Statewide, transportation, trade and manufacturing are propelling our state in the right direction. Recognizing all that Oklahoma has to offer, companies from around the world are choosing the Sooner State to set up shop or to expand. All of this can be jeopardized by abuse and misuse of our regulatory and civil justice systems. Do we really want to become known as a state where unending legal disputes are tolerated, where investing is a risky proposition?

We don’t think so. We urge the Oklahoma Corporation Commissioners to close the book on this 30-plus year old debate once and for all. We’re hopeful that their actions will send a strong message that it’s time for Oklahoma to look ahead, to use taxpayer dollars responsibly, and to welcome business investment. State resources can and should be put to better use for Oklahoma consumers.

This column appeared in the November 14, 2015, edition of The Oklahoman.