FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 18, 2011

Public Schools Suffer in 2011 Republican Budget

Senate Bill 972 passed in the late hours last night after a debate that revealed the ad valorem tax reimbursement plan for common education is flawed, and the schools are suffering.

This bill gives $10 million to common education--less than half of what is owed to them at the present day. The schools are not expected to receive the rest of these crucial funds this fiscal year.

Representative Steve Kouplen, D-Beggs, said he was particularly disturbed by the bill, and while debating against the bill, asked everyone to vote for it because schools need the funding.

“This is the first time I have stood in this chamber and debated a bill since I’ve been here,” Kouplen said.  “I’ve never had anything disturb me as much as this issue.”

He stressed he hopes members don’t go back to their districts and claim they gave common education $10 million because this is money already owed to them--not additional funding.

Rep. Earl Sears, R-Tulsa, the author of the bill, said he absolutely agreed with those critical of the bill stating this was the best he could do.

Many of those debating against the bill questioned why this income tax break that heavily favors the wealthy is allowed to go through when there is such a deficit and education can’t be funded properly.

Wallace Collins, newly elected Chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party, said this budget is a prime example of Republicans favoring their wealthy special interests over Oklahoma’s children.

“This isn’t the first vote this session like this, and unfortunately when the budget is all said and done, it won’t be the last,” Collins said.  “We could have funded education completely. We could have given them the $23 million owed to public schools in ad valorem tax reimbursements, and we could have at least significantly decreased the additional 4.1% cuts they will receive this year. Unfortunately, Republican leadership refused to look at a single of the $5.2 billion in tax breaks/credits given each year, they refused to put a moratorium on an income tax break that heavily favors the wealthy that will cost the state $140 million, or look at loopholes in our tax system that could save the state hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Republican leadership had a choice, and they chose to continue to sacrifice our children and vulnerable citizens instead of coming up with real pragmatic solutions.”

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