We suspect political retribution in a bill that would weaken the autonomy of the Tulsa and Oklahoma county health departments and put more control in the governor’s hands.
Politics has no place in public health.
Even if that’s not the case, we see nothing good coming from House Bill 2504.
The bill, written by Rep. Chris Kannady, R-Oklahoma City, would give the state health commissioner — chosen by the governor — an essential veto in the hiring of the county health director and authority to “ensure administrative alignment” of activities with the state.
That means the local health board is no longer truly autonomous, especially if it disagrees with the state commissioner or his boss, the governor.
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tulsans have depended on the leadership of Tulsa City-County Health Department Executive Director Bruce Dart, who stayed above politics and stuck with data.
Dart’s straight-forward and honest approach has been backed by science and statistics. He has provided consistency and calm during a chaotic and uneasy time.
This sometimes put him at odds with Gov. Kevin Stitt.
Most notably, Dart expressed “extreme concern“ about the public health risks of a June rally for President Donald Trump. He encouraged postponing the event.
Dart’s concerns were substantiated by events. The rally went ahead and planned and Tulsa COVID-19 cases sharply skyrocketed about two weeks later.
Public health leaders must stick with facts, even the politically unpopular ones. Dart has proven a capable, strong and truthful director. We see no reason to undermine his authority by giving the governor’s people a voice in the local health board.
The proposal ignores Tulsa County’s 70 years of leadership in public health. It also ignores the concept of local control.
Tulsa’s health department board members have been a who’s who of respected professionals; each holds top credentials in their fields.
Currently, members include physicians, a veterinarian, a dentist, a city representative and hospital and business leaders. None would be considered political climbers or partisan appointees.
The proposal would restructure the local board, giving the state commissioner more influence. It also would prohibit county commissioners from acting on public health rules proposed by the board if they are more stringent than state rules.
That’s a short-sighted view.
Health departments have hyper-local missions requiring fast reactions to outbreaks, such as E coli in restaurants or meningitis at a school. They also plan long-term to improve health, like reducing teen pregnancies or improving childhood vaccination rates.
Tulsa’s health department has a rich tradition of innovative programs, funded by local taxes, that continue today.
HB 2504 weakens local public health when it should be strengthened and undermines local decision-making.
Tulsa has been well-served by its health department, and we see no need for changing it.
Featured video:
Tulsa World Editorial Pages Editor Wayne Greene reads the newspaper’s Jan. 7 editorial.
