Officials at the Oklahoma Rural Association (ORA) announced its initial launch in Oklahoma. As a new, membership association in Oklahoma, the ORA seeks to provide cohesive representation at the State Capitol and in Washington, D.C. on behalf of the industries in rural counties and communities statewide.
“For too long, we have seen the needs of our rural industries in this state come under attack. Whether we look at energy, agricultural or the manufacturing industry, we have seen repeated attacks on our business community,” Monica Miller, president and executive director said. “With the policies that have been put in place, we continue to see rural communities across the state with less access to quality healthcare, educational opportunities and a better quality of life.”
The ORA is committed to working on critical issues to encourage growth and prosperity in businesses and communities across rural Oklahoma to create a stronger economy in areas that have continued to experience reductions in employers and workforce.
“We have heard for too long the political rhetoric about having a strong 77 counties, yet we see continued influence and focus shifting to the state’s urban areas. For our state to have a robust economy, rural Oklahoma’s industries must be represented and the ORA is proud to lead the way in this endeavor,” Miller said.
“I have watched rural communities and industries being left to crumble and go away while becoming a piggy bank for the state capitol. There has been a continued lack of vision and planning for our state’s future in order to keep our rural communities and industries vibrant,” said Miller. “We have been more than fine with the status quo and a failing education system and community infrastructure. It is time that we focus on growing all of our counties in Oklahoma, not just a few of them.”
Miller continued “I am extremely excited about the leadership and business acumen of our board of directors as well as the wealth of knowledge and experience they bring to the ORA concerning the various issues that we continue to see plaguing our rural cities and towns. We look forward to crafting our policy for the upcoming session and building coalitions to achieve the results that will move our businesses and rural communities into the future.”