Reese file SO 1 for Labor Commissioner

Calling for fundamental reform and a new vision at the Oklahoma Labor Department, Jason Reese today announced his candidacy for Oklahoma Labor Commissioner in 2010.

“Oklahoma's Labor Commissioner should be at the forefront of the debate on how to build an economically vibrant state,” Reese said. “Our Commissioner should be consistently offering ideas and policies that will make Oklahoma an even better and more prosperous state. For too long, however, the Commissioner's office has been staffed by old-guard bureaucrats and defenders of the status quo whose stale and outdated ideas have done very little to move Oklahoma forward.”

Reese, a Republican from Oklahoma City, pledged, “If elected - on day one - I'll start working to improve the efficiency and accountability of the office. I'll promote greater flexibility for employees in their workplaces across the state. Through better use of technology, I'll bring the Labor Department's services directly to people in their home counties, moving beyond the Department's outdated centralization in Oklahoma City. And I'll lead on the big issues, like Worker's Comp Reform, that have held our state back for too long.”

While reformatting the role of Labor Commissioner from the current reactive, bureaucratic model to a proactive, policy and idea model represents significant change, Reese said he'll meet the challenge.

Combining cutting-edge new media with old-fashioned stumping across the state, the Reese campaign will demonstrate a forward-thinking, pro-Oklahoma approach to governance.

“Though I grew up sweeping floors at my father’s auto body shop, my first paycheck came from my job performing maintenance at a rural electric cooperative. I learned early the value of hard work and fair dealing,” Reese said.

Reese's diverse experience in both the public and private sectors make him uniquely suited for the Labor Commissioner role.

He made his way through the University of Oklahoma on a National Merit Scholarship and part-time jobs.

Afterward, he graduated from OU Law School and took a position on the staff of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. While there he served as an advisor to the Chairman of the Workers' Comp Taskforce and as Administrative Rules Counsel, where he was responsible for reviewing nearly every regulation written by Oklahoma's state agencies for constitutionality and effect on small businesses. Since leaving the House, Jason has worked as an attorney for one of the state's premier law firms, where he has advised Oklahoma businesses on numerous matters including labor practices and compliance with immigration laws.

Reese recently introduced “A New Land Run,” a comprehensive plan to build an opportunity-economy in Oklahoma that is both job-friendly and family-friendly. The plan can be found at his website, ReeseforLabor.com.

Active in his church and community, Reese, his wife Jessica, and sons, Patrick and Jack, reside in Central Park, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Oklahoma City. Reese concluded, “Just as my neighborhood is seeing a rebirth with the arrival of young families like mine, we need a reinvigorated Department of Labor, with a fresh, pro-growth vision for our state that puts the interest of the people first. That's exactly the kind of servant-leader I will be.”