Roads, taxes seen as race's top issues for Oklahoma state House District 31 campaign

By Tim Henley

Published: August 16, 2008

GUTHRIE — An attorney is challenging incumbent Rep. Jason Murphey, R-Guthrie, for the House District 31 seat.

Democrat Jennifer Sherrill, 34, of Guthrie, is running to represent residents of Logan County and a small portion of northern Oklahoma County.

Sherrill and Murphey both cited the transportation and tax issues on their primary platforms.

"I'm an advocate for the tax cuts,” Murphey said. "I want to save the taxpayers' money.”

Murphey said he wants to eliminate the corporate tax and the capital gains tax. He also wants to pave some rural roads.

Murphey, 31, is the owner of WebTeks, a Web site design company based in Guthrie. He has a bachelor's degree from Charter Oak State College in New Britain, Conn. He majored in general studies with a concentration in psychology and history. He served as the Ward 3 Guthrie City Councilman from 2001-05.

He was elected in 2006 to the House of Representatives, where he serves on the homeland security, banking, human service, criminal justice and transportation committees.

Sherrill is an attorney with Federman & Sherwood in Oklahoma City, specializing in securities, class action and product liability cases.

She said she wants to repeal the grocery sales tax and make sure roads and bridges are in good working order.

"I feel that these issues are important to voters in the district,” Sherrill said.

Sherrill said money set aside for county bridges and roads should be reallocated so that rural areas receive an adequate amount of funding for maintenance.

Sherrill has a bachelor's degree from Hendrix College in Conway, Ark., a master's degree in plant pathology from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and a law degree from the University of Tulsa.

Comments