This Is What You Voted For, Oklahoma!
From
KXII in Oklahoma:
The Social Security Administration is closing a Texoma office, citing federal budget cuts and less foot traffic as reasons for the closure.
Allison Harris spoke with Hugo city leaders who are appealing this closure, saying it's undue and will be a burden for people in the area.
Hugo city leaders are concerned that southern Oklahomans will be deprived access to social security support. ...
City manager Jeff Rabon says the Social Security Administration is
closing its Hugo office in June, consolidating it with the Paris office. ...
"You know, we all breathe the same air, to quote President
Kennedy, 'We pay the same taxes;' we don't want to see any services
diminished." ...
The consolidation would force many elderly people in the area to
either go online for social security help, or drive further -- by up to
85 miles -- to the Paris office.
"We feel like it's our responsibility to represent the
people of our area to say, wait a minute, you know, we already struggle
for access to services as it is; it's either Durant or to McAlester or,
you know, Oklahoma City or Tulsa," Rabon said.
We spoke with an employee at the Hugo office who says many
of their clients don't have access to the Internet, nor the resources
to drive further to the Paris office.
"A lot of them don't even know how to use a computer.
They're very upset over it, they say, 'what are we going to do without
this?'
I think you're right that overall the Oklahoma voters would endorse the closure of this tiny office. The city of Hugo in which the office is located has only 5,300 residents; the whole of Choctaw County only 15,300 residents. And, of yes, of the registered voters in Choctaw County, 77% are registered Democrats.
ReplyDeleteTo Max Abilify, thanks for the information. Unfortunately, citing facts only serves to cloud the minds of those not able to handle fiscal realities. I would not be surprised to learn that businesses have closed in Hugo and Choctow County, people have lost jobs, home values have declined, and the cost of utilities have increased. We live in a dynamic society and things change. It is likely that many in Hugo will drive a distance to purchase something they need more often than they need to visit an SSA office without complaining about those drives; however, to close this small office is characterized by some to be an outrage! And to remark that this action concerning administration of a national government agency is related to a local political vote?
ReplyDeletethe reality is...all apps are just going to have to be filed online. sooner or later.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if office closings like this are to save money or piss off people to complain to Congress to get more money. Just checked and OK has 19 offices in the state, NY has 72 offices. Think maybe one office in NY could have been closed to keep people from driving 85 miles?
ReplyDeleteMost offices in NY state are located downstate in NY City Metro area--they are nowhere near 85 miles apart, and those folks have way more access to the internet, so, yeah, close'em down. lol.
ReplyDelete