In his first term, Gov. Henry fixed a budget system that was collapsing under the previous governor. He shored up education and got the legislature moving in the right direction.

In his 2nd term he wants to focus on roads and bridges.

In Ernest Istook's 1st term as governor, he'd like to make it required that everyone in the state convert to the Mormon faith.

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Henry wants second term to complete projectsby Ron Jenkins
Associated Press
12/16/2005 OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Gov. Brad Henry says he'll propose more tax breaks for retirees during the upcoming legislative session and will give high priority to road and bridge funding.

Entering the final year of a four-year term next month, the 42-year-old chief executive said he has no major disappointments and is proud of his accomplishments in such areas as education, health care and taxes.

"One of the things I am very proud of is I've done everything I said I would do," Henry said in an interview with The Associated Press. "One of the things I said I would do is a reduction and the ultimate elimination of income taxes on retirees over 65. Each year we've chipped away at that. I think, over the long haul, we can do that."

He said he is very hopeful he will have the opportunity to serve another four years to see to fruition long-range programs involving education, health care and other issues.

If re-elected, Henry would become only the third Oklahoma governor to win back-to-back terms in office. Republican U.S. Rep. Ernest Istook is among the early challengers.

Henry said the state should have a budget surplus again next year and he is anxious to see Board of Equalization revenue estimates later this month as he continues to work on budget issues, including what can be done in the form of tax cuts.

"When I first took office, we faced the largest budget deficit in our state's history, nearly $700 million," he said, adding he and the legislature worked together to balance the budget without deep cuts in education and health care.

Now, he said, the state's constitutional Rainy Day Fund is maxed out for the first time ever. "I hope to protect that fund so that the next governor who faces a difficult crisis will have a cushion there to soften the blow."

Oklahoma taxpayers this month got rebate checks of $45 to $90 under a program initiated last year by Henry and approved by the Legislature, along with a record $150 million in tax cuts.

"I wanted to make the rebate program permanent, so that we could do that every year when we have a surplus, but the Legislature didn't agree with me on that," Henry said.

Besides easing the tax load of retirees, he said he is reviewing possible targeted tax cuts that create jobs.

"I've governed as a centrist, reaching across the political aisles to bring everybody to the table," he said.

He said he expects partisan snipping to pick up in the 2006 election year, but he will not change his approach as he looks toward the legislative session and a bid for re-election.

"My opponents have already started the campaign," he said. "They issue press releases almost on a daily basis attacking me on one issue or another. By and large, I ignore that and continue to focus on moving this state forward."

He said his foes are "professional critics" who are going against the public when they blast him over the lottery and funding shortcomings of the tobacco tax.

"These are two big issues that the people of Oklahoma voted for and voted for overwhelmingly. I'm certainly not going to allow anything to occur that would undo what the people did."

Henry said much of the criticism is coming from Big Tobacco and those who profit from cigarette sales. He said the health industry is enthusiastic in its support of the tobacco tax, which officials estimate has led to more than 30,000 Oklahomans quitting smoking.

"Yes, we have had some difficulties because of some compliance issues," the governor said. "But overall, we've created $100 million in new revenue that we would not have had without the vote of the people."

Tobacco proceeds are going to build a cancer center, beef up trauma care and fund a health insurance program for small businesses with 25 or less employees.

"Hopefully, we can expand that program to businesses with 100 or fewer employees, but that will take some time," Henry said. "We have to get it off the ground and implemented properly."

He said the state will be better off in the future because of programs expanding kindergarten, raising teacher pay to the regional average over five years and demanding accountability in schools.

"We really are on the cutting edge nationally because of some of our testing policies," he said. "Along with that, we have to be sure that we provide appropriate remediation for students who don't pass the tests." In the short term, Henry said a trendsetting anti-meth law passed during his watch is a major accomplishment. The law, which restricts over-the-counter sales of cold medicines containing meth ingredients, is credited with a 90-percent drop in meth lab seizures in some areas. "I think that policy does more to save lives in Oklahoma and more to prevent the destruction of families, in the short term, than anything we have done," he said.

Another thing Governot I took would want is because few people can afford the gas, force everyone to walk the 40 miles from far south Oklahoma City to Edmond instead of using rapid transit..