Costello Advocates Bill to Reform Structure of State Govt.

MEDIA RELEASE

Proposed Ballot Measure calls for public vote to allow appointment of Commissioner of Labor, Superintendent of Public Instruction and Insurance Commissioner

Labor Commissioner Costello Endorses Gubernatorial Appointment of Statewide Offices

Oklahoma City, February 21, 2013: Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Mark Costello expressed support of SB 598. The measure calls for a public vote granting authority to the governor to appoint the Commissioner of Labor, Superintendent of Public Instruction and Insurance Commissioner to office starting January 2018.

“As a former CEO, I know from first- hand experience the need to make tough decisions and then have a structure in place to carry out those decisions. Oklahoma needs a twenty-first century model of state government that eliminates duplication, bureaucratic overhead, and waste. The executive branch of Oklahoma state government has over 500 agencies, boards and commissions. There is significant room for restructuring state government. It is my hope that this is the first of many legislative proposals to reform the structure of state government. We should be mindful that first and foremost, we are accountable to the taxpayers of Oklahoma,” stated Costello.

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Contact: Liz McNeill
Phone: (405) 521-6102
www.labor.ok.gov