March 2026

Just recently I learned that SQ832 would be on the ballot during the Primary Election, June 16th, 2026.

This is a question that seeks to raise the MINIMUM WAGE as determined by the Federal Labor Commission-determined cost of living for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, not voters, through the Oklahoma Legislature. Currently, our state follows the Federal Minimum Wage, but this value may be increased beyond the minimum via state law, as has happened in other states – particularly those that make up the east and west coasts.

If the SQ is voted into law, the minimum wage in Oklahoma would immediately raise from $7.25 to $10.50/hour.

It is important to remember that while $7.25 is the current federally-mandated minimum, ANY employer in Oklahoma, can offer wages above that to their employees as it makes sense to their budgets, at any time.

Because an increases in minimum wage can cause large ripples in a state’s economy and simply ruin small businesses, I decided to put a bit of time into researching the people who signed their name to SQ832’s petition.

According to the filing, Kelsey Cobbs, of El Reno, and Dustin Phelan, of Salina, created the petition.

Kelsey Cobbs is the head pastor of The Federated Church of Weatherford.

Please note that Kelsey has a Master of Divinity with a concentration on Spirituality and Social Activism from Vanderbilt Divinity School.

I have two questions about Kelsey:

Does your church accept donations? Why is it then, that you can’t help the poor in your community? Why is it that ALL OF OKLAHOMA has to carry the burden you want carried yourself?
What did God say about the poor? “’When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the LORD your God.’” Leviticus 23:22. “If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need. Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.” Deuteronomy 7-11. It doesn’t say anything at all about the government forcing wages, or that the government should make sure there are none in poverty. Jesus told us that the second greatest commandment was to, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” Matthew 29:39. If we are to love our neighbors as ourselves, we can’t possibly be commanded to steal from others to give to others. We must INDIVIDUALLY, PERSONALLY donate money to churches and to organizations who help the poor. “I think the minimum wage needs to go up because the cost of everything has gone up, and it is time that wages people earn can actually help them make a living,” Cobbs told the Oklahoman.

Our next signer is Dustin Phelam. Dustin is an electrician and member of IBEW Local 584 who looks as though he might be making a bit more than minimum wage already.

He is also a Democrat who wants to begin the RURAL REVOLUTION today. I’m not sure exactly what that means, but I do know that Revolution is a Communist construct, so there’s that.

There is also a group involved, called, “Raise The Wage Oklahoma“, piloted by our old Common Core nemesis, Amber England. England worked VERY hard to make Common Core the law of Oklahoma and we fought her every step of the way until it was finally repealed from law in 2014.

Oklahoma Appleseed – a division of the George Soros-backed Appleseed Network – is also involved in the effort to increase the minimum wage.

Both Raise the Wage and Oklahoma Appleseed ask for donations. Let’s think…if you are REALLY invested in making sure people in poverty have their needs met, shouldn’t you be using the DONATIONS YOU’RE COLLECTING and GIVING THEM TO THOSE IN NEED?

Absolutely. This is how you know – IMMEDIATELY – that SQ832 is yet another scam to ruin the middle class, by attacking their businesses.

Do not be fooled. Share this information and VOTE NO ON STATE QUESTION 832 June 16th.

Also, check out this post from Oklahoma Grassroots!

For the last 10 years, property owners in Edmond, Oklahoma – specifically at and near the corner of Covell and Coltrane roads – have tried to prevent a WalMart Market from being built on the site.

A local developer, Jim Tapp, bought the 9.7 acre property for $2,636,500 in March of last year, but the previous developer had fought with the Edmond City Council over that same area for years previously.

At primary issue is the fact that the neighbors whose neighborhoods surround the proposed WalMart Market development, DON’T WANT IT. They have formed a group and addressed the Edmond City Council every time the development has been introduced at Council meetings.

There is also a planning document at issue. An early city planning document appears to allow the WalMart Market, whereas subsequent planning documents make that development harder. This article from Oklahoman writer Richard Mize last year, delves well into the backstory and issues surrounding the property development – including a court ruling 10 years ago allowing the then-developer to develop the property.

But here’s the bottom line…the Edmond City Council has quite apparently attempted to protect the EDMOND RESIDENTS WHO DON’T WANT THE WALMART MARKET IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. The Edmond residents vote for their City Council members – ostensibly to protect themselves and their property interests. Shouldn’t that be sufficient? Shouldn’t that be what ends the development of the WalMart Market? No. According to a NonDoc article from last year, Jim Tapp’s attorney, Todd McKinnis, had this to say to the Edmond City Council:

“If we have this kind of subjectivity, I just kind of wonder, where does it stop? Where does it stop when a private resident’s rights are greater than private commercial rights when it comes to property? We have rules for a reason.”

In the entirety of the world, can you believe the absolute unmitigated gall of Jim Tap’s attorney? Look, I get it – Tapp (who until recently lived on an enormous estate in my town) sunk a huge amount of dollars into the purchase of the property and expected to be able to develop it to make a return on his investment. But, the property had been fought over since 2015 – why would residents suddenly feel differently about a WalMart Market mucking up their neighborhood? So, I suppose, one should wonder what an investor was thinking purchasing such a contentious space in the first place. To make a point that developers have more interest in their property than private property owners via a lawsuit?

But wait, here’s another paragraph from the NonDoc article to turn your stomach:

Arguably subjective criteria like visual compatibility were part of what inspired a renewed push this year at the Oklahoma Legislature for Senate Bill 647, which remains property of the State Senate for 2026. Sen. Avery Frix (R-Muskogee) is the author of SB 647, saying earlier this year that it aims to limit “NIMBYism” and would require city planning commissions or councils to approve “plats for any project that meets zoning and code standards.”

WHAT? NIMBYism? So, we buy a property – sink our worldly goods into that property so we have no say over what happens to the property around us? What on the earth is the MATTER with people? Fortunately, the bill did not pass last year. It got stuck in a conference committee and never got out.

March 4th, 2026, Judge Anthony Bonner found in favor of developer Jim Tapp, shortcutting a trial by issuing a Summary Judgement in the case, allowing the WalMart Market to be built no matter what the residents around it want.

But then, are we surprised here?

The state of Oklahoma has prioritized business over INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY since Governor Kevin Stitt was elected. NOW you’re seeing the results of this “run the state like a business” mentality.

When legitimate individual citizen property owners can go before their elected officials, tell them they don’t want something with an unknown future in their back yard and their elected officials try to protect them only to have a judge look on them with disdain while prioritizing the pleadings of a businessman, we’ve finally officially supplanted the basis of the Constitution – We The People.

Anymore, it seems as though We The People can’t seem to do much to stop the tsunami of bad legislation and court rulings that are UNprotecting us and the right to the fruits of our labors, but we can do one thing – VOTE. And I advise you particularly, to VOTE AGAINST Judge Anthony Bonner, whose ruling in this case, essentially elevated the rights of a developer over the rights of the hundreds of property owners around the WalMart development who didn’t want it.

ROPE Report

Month

Very Liberal Democrats File State Question 832 – A Big NO On The Ballot In June

VOTE NO For Judge Anthony Bonner, District 7, Office 9 – He Ruled For Developer Property Rights Over Citizen Property Rights