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The economy is a top priority for a Republican hopeful that is running for re-election as the House District 11 Representative for Bartlesville and beyond.

Representative Derrel Fincher said the State of Oklahoma needs to work on what the next generation economy is going to look like. He said when you look at the economy, you have to look at how you are connected to the world.

Do you still have to go into the office? What does this mean for rural folks in our area? Rep. Fincher said if they can ensure that you have good internet connectivity at the highest level, you could work from home, but still work as if you are in the office. He said if t hey could give you the same experience at home as in the office, you could work virtually anywhere in Oklahoma.

Rep. Fincher said that is the Oklahomans Virtually Everywhere Act. He said this is a long-term plan to help diversify the economy that he has a final report on. From here, Rep. Fincher said he is going to go out and see if he can find money to take the next step with the Act.

Another item on Rep. Fincher's radar is Oklahoma's energy issue. Rep. Fincher, a member of a non-partisan group called Oklahoma Academy, works with proposals to solve problems revolving around energy. He said they just released their energy report, which focuses on how Oklahoma grows in the realm of solar energy, how they can export energy, how they can lay transmission lines, and more.

The biggest factor in all of this is communication. Rep. Fincher wants to know how he can be your advocate. He wants to know how he can help the people right here at home.

The easiest way to contact him is by completing the contact form at okhouse.gov. You can also call his office at 405.557.7358. There is also his email, which is derrel@okhouse.gov. Rep. Fincher said he wants to hear your thoughts, your opinions and your ideas. He said he would like to hear more from you, because that is how legislation happens. He said they need to know what needs to be improved in order to make improvements.

The re-election campaign for Rep. Fincher is about to kick-off officially. He said he has prayed, and he has thought long and hard about it. His top priority is to serve the people, and he said he ran initial because Oklahoma was hurting, and he felt as if he could help.

Engineering and industry are part of Rep. Fincher's background. The Representative also has a background in education, public service and technology, which is in short supply at the State Capitol.

According to Rep. Fincher, there are two things that a representative does. He said a representative constitutionally is supposed to set a budget, but that is not what helps people in District 11. The other part of the job is how they work on laws like his Homemade Food Act. The biggest part is being an advocate for the people in government.

Oklahoma is getting better. Rep. Fincher said he believes the State Legislature will continue to do great things this year. Working with Governor Kevin Stitt, Rep. Fincher said they are doing what they can to be Top 10 in education. He said they will be Top 10 in education if they are able to educate all people of all ages.

This means helping those graduating high school and helping those that are older that may have been unable to get a higher education. Rep. Fincher said he is very concerned about what education is going to look like in 10 to 12 years. He said they need to look into how they support new kinds of learning as technology involves. He wants to know how Oklahoma stays on the edge of technology when it comes education moving forward.

Looking at current issues, Rep. Fincher said what they have been able to do with teacher pay raises has been an absolute necessity. He said the wages for teachers are now livable and it keeps teachers in place like Bartlesville. That being said, Rep. Fincher believes they need to ensure that the pay raise is well-compensated

There are other needs in education that will receive attention this year that Rep. Fincher honed in on. Trauma and trauma informed instruction is a big topic of discussion. Rep. Fincher said they are recognizing that children can have a lot of trauma (i.e. divorce, incarcerated parents, violence in the home, child abuse), and the more events that they experience, the more difficult schooling can be for them.

Counselors are needed to combat the issue of trauma. Rep. Fincher said they are going to look at how they can add real counselors for the children to help them get their lives back on the rails so they can get the most out of life and school. He said it also helps them know that people are there for them.

Getting funds into the classroom is something else that Rep. Fincher discussed. He said he believes they will be able to get more funds into the classroom, because Budget Chairs are figuring out how much money the State of Oklahoma will have left over. There were one-time charges last year that are not recurring this year, which will allow the State to do some extra funding.

Rep. Fincher said funding in the classroom effects the teacher-to-student ratio. He said that allows teachers to buy supplies, and it will allow more teachers in the classroom with fewer students. This, according to Rep. Fincher, has produced great outcomes, which is why they are hoping to pursue this avenue.

More on the interview with Rep. Fincher can be heard on Saturday on KWON AM 1400 and FM 93.3. The interview should air at approximately 12:40 p.m.