Tulsa World
By VINCENT LOVOI
Published: 8/12/20102:22 AM
Last Modified: 8/12/20104:25 AM
"Look mom, no hands!" It's easy to say. And when dealing with taxpayers' dollars, some Oklahoma leaders have always known it's the wrong thing to say.
But regrettably, nowadays we hear it again. In November, Oklahoma will vote on State Question 744, a well-intended but ill-conceived constitutional amendment that would turn budgeting over to a formula rather than our elected representatives.
That's bad policy. Accountability is a key component of representative democracy.
SQ 744 is not about education. Sure, that's the intended beneficiary of the proposed amendment, setting a minimum spending level, but SQ 744 is also about crumbling bridges, state universities, methamphetamine enforcement, environmental quality, mental health, crowded prisons, and every other category of Oklahoma government spending that is outside the formula's protected zone.
SQ 744 impacts everything and all of us, picking winners and losers... FULL ARTICLE
Posted on
Thu, August 12, 2010
by Crystal Drwenski