Tulsa World
By MURRAY EVANS Associated Press Writer
Published: 10/5/2010 7:03 AM
Last Modified: 10/5/2010 2:41 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Hospital Association said Tuesday it opposes a ballot measure to increase education spending, saying it would devastate funding for and reduce access to health care in the state.
A spokesman for a group supporting State Question 744 responded by saying the hospital association is trying to scare people into voting against the proposal on the November ballot.
The proposed constitutional amendment would require Oklahoma to meet the regional average of per-student spending in surrounding states within three years. Estimates of how much the proposal would cost Oklahoma during the next three years range from about $900 million to $1.7 billion. The ballot measure has no funding mechanism in place and does not call for a tax increase.
The hospital association is a member of One Oklahoma Coalition, a group opposing the initiative that includes chambers of commerce, the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, the transportation industry and the state workers union. Gov. Brad Henry serves as the coalition's honorary chairman.
"This is a funding issue," association President Craig Jones said. "... To just arbitrarily establish common education as the most important priority, at a time when the state is facing other major needs and priorities, is really
shortsighted." FULL ARTICLE
Posted on
Tue, October 5, 2010
by Crystal Drwenski