Tulsa World
By SEAN MURPHY Associated Press Writer
Published: 9/21/2010 12:46 PM
Last Modified: 9/21/2010 3:19 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY — Gov. Brad Henry said Tuesday that he agreed to become honorary chairman of a group opposing an initiative to boost education funding in Oklahoma, saying he fears passage of the ballot question would wreak financial havoc on the rest of state government.
A longtime supporter of increased education funding, the two-term governor described his decision as "painful" and said he's sympathetic with the supporters' goals.
"From a policy standpoint, it's a no-brainer, but from a personal standpoint, this has been painful for me," said Henry, a Democrat whose grandparents, mother and wife were public school teachers. "I'm absolutely for increased funding for K through 12 education, but not if it has to come at the expense of every other critical function of state government."
State Question 744 is a proposed constitutional amendment that would require the state within three years to meet the regional average of per-student spending in Missouri, Texas, Kansas, Arkansas, Colorado and New Mexico. It is one of 11 state questions on the November ballot.
Oklahoma ranked 49th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in per-pupil expenditures in 2008, according to a recent report by the National Center for Education Statistics. Only Utah and Idaho ranked lower... FULL ARTICLE
Posted on
Tue, September 21, 2010
by Crystal Drwenski