By Senator Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant Happy New Year, everybody! As Oklahoma enters the first full year of its second century as a state, we received some very good news about our economy.

We learned last week that Oklahoma’s personal income grew faster than the national average during the third quarter of 2007. That increase was driven primarily by growth in the oil and gas industry, according to a report by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. By driving around southern Oklahoma, you can see evidence of this good news in new drilling rigs and seismic crews all over the countryside. The result of the new gas exploration in our region is showing up in our state’s economy. We also see it with the creation of new energy jobs and the distribution of royalty checks across the area. Read More