FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 6, 2012

House Democratic Caucus
State Capitol Building Rm. 548
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105
Contact: Eric Russell
405-962-7819

of Governor’s Proposals

OKLAHOMA CITY (February 6, 2012) Today in the State of the State address Governor Mary Fallin rolled out an agenda that left many glaring, lingering questions on a myriad of issues, and House Democrats pointed to a number of these inconsistencies.

Representative Mike Brown, D-Tahlequah, questions the soundness of a policy that leaves gaping holes in the state budget while establishing numerous goals that require increased spending.

“Improving Oklahoma for all constituents is a commendable goal,” said Rep. Brown. “However, Gov. Fallin cannot expect to cut and then eliminate the state income tax, which constitutes one-third of the State’s revenue, and in the same breathe talk about making the Department of Human Services one of the best in the nation, or repairing all our bridges by 2019.”

“She wants to have her cake and eat it too,” Rep. Brown added. “It sounds good for her to ensure that teachers receive their health benefits, or that Oklahoma will add 20,000 college graduates, but these statements are disingenuous when taken in the context of her tax cut proposals. We haven’t even fulfilled our promise to fund National Board Certified Teachers. These tax cuts will only exacerbate that problem.”

Another lawmaker, Rep. Steve Kouplen, Vice-Chair of the House Higher Education and Career Tech Committee, also commented on these lofty goals that lack any details.

“Gov. Fallin mentioned in her address that she’s seeking to increase the number of college graduates annually, to an excess of 50,000 awarded,” said Rep. Kouplen, D-Beggs. “Well, we are all very supportive of increasing the graduation rate. However, little was mentioned as to ways to make college more affordable and accessible to a growing number of students who face the challenges of higher fees and tuition coupled with lower levels of state and federal financial assistance.”

Another lawmaker commented on the irony of Gov. Fallin mentioning her concerns over the state’s infant mortality rate, given it was her signature on Emergency Rule 365:10-1-15 that allowed health insurance companies to deny coverage to newborns age 0-1. Gov. Fallin abandoned babies and newborns when she allowed insurance companies to use them as a bargaining chip for re-entering the child-only market. With this action, Oklahoma became the only state in the nation which allowed carriers to be completely unaccountable for health insurance coverage of newborns and babies.

“It seems to be that you can’t have it both ways,” said Rep. Ben Sherrer, D-Chouteau. “Either you’re concerned with infant mortality or you’re not – a move to deny health insurance to infants is not a move that says, ’I want to reduce infant mortality’”.

Governor Fallin also took a swipe at the Choctaw and Chickasaw nations in her State of the State address when she called into question their interests and ability to negotiate in good faith on the water rights in the Kiamichi Basin. No mention was made that these tribes filed their lawsuit only after being refused the opportunity to participate in discussions over the sale of water storage in Sardis Lake to Oklahoma City.

“I’m concerned about Gov. Fallin’s insinuation that the Choctaw and Chickasaw nations were not negotiating in good faith,” said Rep. Jerry McPeak, D-Warner. “Perhaps of even greater concern was the indication that she is willing to spend $5 million for outside counsel on this issue to fight our own citizens who do so much for the state.”

Many Democrats took issue with Gov. Fallin’s claims that she could teach Washington “a lesson or two about fiscal policy and the size and proper role of government.”

“It is incredibly hypocritical of the Governor to criticize the President and Congress for deficit spending, but then advocate tax cuts while borrowing money to repair our roads and bridges,” said Rep. Brown. “The state is billions behind in road and bridge repairs. If we want to catch up, we should start implementing revenue toward those repairs, not toward tax cuts that primarily benefit the upper class.”

“The bottom line is that the state will have no funds to pay for these proposals if the income tax is cut or eliminated.”

In her address Governor Fallin proposed to pay for the reductions in the income tax by eliminating government waste, various loopholes, and credits.

The government will also see an offset in any revenue reduction, Gov. Fallin contends, through adoption of a “pro-jobs” and “pro-growth” agenda, which will supposedly put more money back into the economy and somehow flow back into the government’s revenue stream.

“We’ve heard this kind of proposal before,” Rep. Brown commented, “and it doesn’t work. You cannot cut taxes and expect revenue to increase. The foundation of the Governor’s plan is built with voodoo economics. I want to know whose services are being cut. Whose ox is being gored - teachers’?, health care providers’, retirees?”

The Governor also emphasized funding for alternative sentencing for the mentally ill, adding more state troopers, and supplements for the Medical Examiner’s office.

“This is irresponsible fiscal policy,” Rep. Brown said. “It also puts more of the burden on working families. In effect it is a double penalty: programs and services that primarily benefit the poor and middle class would see reductions in order to pay for tax cuts that disproportionately favor the more well-to-do.”

“This is not the right thing to do when Oklahoma families are struggling.”

-30-