Angela Monson, Particular to The Metropolis Sentinel
Many people throughout the state are mourning the latest demise of Senator Bob Cullison, a statesman extraordinaire.
His passing affords these of us who knew him and labored with him a chance to recollect and mirror upon his tenacity, his fashion, his demeanor and his friendship. I’m one of many lucky people who had a chance to work with Cullison for a few years and in a number of capacities, and I’m happy to share ideas about his life and his contributions to the State Senate – and to Oklahoma.
I met Sen. Cullison in 1981 after I began a job — a newly created place for the Oklahoma Legislature.
As one in every of solely two joint workers (the Legislative Service Bureau had lately been reorganized and the Home of Representatives and the Senate employed their very own particular person employees), I had the nice fortune to work with members of each Homes.
It was additionally the primary time I labored with Sen. Cullison. Though his participation on the Joint Committee on Federal Funds (the committee I staffed) was restricted, he clearly knew and understood the implications of the substantial lack of federal funding for state and community-based companies. He selected to be an advocate for packages dependent upon federal {dollars}, encouraging and debating in favor of the substitute of misplaced federal funds with state {dollars}. Because of this, many companies, similar to these offered by neighborhood well being facilities, continued with out main disruption.
Within the late Eighties, I started working for a small not-for-profit centered on increasing well being care protection in Oklahoma. Sen. Cullison had not but grow to be President Professional Tempore, however he was positively a frontrunner within the state Senate.
We turned shut allies, advocating for kids and moms who had very restricted entry to well being care companies. I’m not positive what might need occurred in his life earlier than coming into the Legislature, however Bob Cullison had a coronary heart and compassion for many who have been in want; and he was keen to make use of his affect to make life higher for them.
In 1988, shortly after Sen. Cullison was elected President Professional Tempore, for the primary time in any substantial means, Oklahoma made a considerable enlargement of enrollees within the Medicaid program. Protection was prolonged to kids and pregnant ladies. It’s attainable that such a dramatic change may have occurred beneath different Senate management, however resistance from a number of members on the opposite aspect of the aisle was shortly put to mattress by Sen. Cullison. I’m grateful to him and his management to make sure the passage of a key coverage reform.
As President Professional Tempore, Senator Cullison served with three completely different Home Audio system: Jim Barker, Steve Lewis and at last, Glen Johnson. As I noticed his interactions with leaders of the “Decrease Home”, Sen. Cullison all the time gave the impression to be considerably reserved, mushy spoken, all the time far more keen to hear than to talk.
Nevertheless, it didn’t take lengthy to comprehend, because the outdated saying goes, “nonetheless water runs deep”. Certainly not was he a wimp (please excuse the usage of such jargon, however there isn’t a higher descriptive phrase that I can use right here)! All through his time period as President of the Senate, Sen. Cullison was the fixed.
As management within the Home modified fairly quickly (three Audio system in about 3 years (1989-91), I contend that the progress made by the Legislature, together with Home Invoice 1017, the legendary training reform invoice, occurred largely due to the steadiness offered by Cullison.
In 1993, I turned a member of the Oklahoma State Senate.
Sen. Cullison was President of the Senate after I was elected. After serving for 3 years as a member of the Oklahoma Home, I knew first-hand the significance of the Chief.
Through the few years Sen. Cullison and I served collectively, my respect and admiration for him grew. My earlier evaluation of his demeanor and elegance nonetheless held true. His door was open to everybody, he listened, he sought enter, he inspired. With out query, Bob Cullison was a Senator’s Senator.
A couple of years after Sen. Cullison departed the Oklahoma Legislature to grow to be a member of the Oklahoma Tax Fee, I turned chair of the Senate Finance Committee. That’s the panel that heard the payments that impacted the gathering of state tax income in Oklahoma and different payments guiding the Fee as an company.
Each of us have been then in new roles, and fairly completely different within the dynamics of the positions, but nothing modified: His willingness to assist, candor and real want to make issues higher was as clear as ever.
He and the opposite Commissioners made nice strides to enhance Oklahoma tax methods, and to advocate for a tax construction that was honest and equitable – particularly for working households in Oklahoma.
Sen. Cullison shall be missed by many. The issues that he completed in Oklahoma will influence the lives of those that dwell right here for a lot of generations to return, if not for all instances.
I can not finish these transient reflections with out additionally expressing appreciation to Sen. Bernice Shedrick, Sen. Cullison’s companion for a few years. Their collective want to enhance training in Oklahoma, and their recognition of the worth and price of Oklahoma’s working households, strengthened their particular person affect.
Many shared many issues with Sen. Cullison – together with an incredible love for the State of Oklahoma. I’m lucky to be included in that quantity.
Angela Monson, a former state Senator, served with Robert V. Cullison, who died in late Could.
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