"Oklahoma Pride"

A Weekly Update on all of the Good News about Oklahoma

Because much of the good news about our state is sometimes overlooked by state leaders and others, many positive developments and success stories in Oklahoma go unreported. It is our hope that "Oklahoma Pride," a weekly publication of the Oklahoma Senate, will ensure that the best stories about Oklahoma are told.

For example, this week in Oklahoma, did you know that......

• More jobs are on the way to Tulsa. West TeleServices Corporation announced it will open a call center there in June, creating 900 new jobs. The Nebraska-based company is expected to generate an annual payroll of $22 million payroll. What was the major factor that tipped the scales in favor of Oklahoma in the competition for the new call center? The Quality Jobs Act, credited with creating more than 53,000 new jobs since its inception in 1993.
   
• According to the latest issue of State Policy Reports, Oklahoma posted the 9th best job growth in the country in 1996. Not only were we in the top 10 nationally, Oklahoma also led the region in new job creation, beating such competitors as Texas, Kansas and Colorado.
   
• For the first time in its 26 year history, employment at the Port of Catoosa has topped the 2,000 mark. The port has recorded a 50 percent employment increase in the past five years.

If you have questions or comments about "Oklahoma Pride," please contact Senator Keith Leftwich at 405-524-0126 or the Senate Communications Division at 405-521-5605.