The Journal Record
By Jim Wilson, Guest Columnist
Posted: 10:21 PM Tuesday, September 28, 2010
There has been much discussion about State Question 744 – the state question that proposes that Oklahoma spend the regional average of the per-pupil amount for common education.
The proponents suggest we will never properly fund common education if we don’t do something such as this. They may have a point: If the common education budget had increased at the same percentage as that of higher education in the eight years since the “fund education first initiative,” it would have an additional $600 million. If the $700 million in tax cuts from five years ago produced the unconditional increase in revenue as promised by proponents, there would be ample money to fund common education.
State Question 744 opponents almost universally agree that we have ignored common education funding over the years and we should do a better job of funding it – but not now and not in this way. They suggest we will be damaging other government services if it passes. They have not suggested postponing the next $120 million ($2.77 per month per person) in scheduled tax cuts, nor have they suggested a moratorium on some of the $1 billion in new tax cuts proposed every year.
For 30 years, we’ve been led to believe that government is the problem and those who believe it are the best leaders. We’ve ignored the role of government for which studies show a positive causal relationship between public investment and prosperity. We don’t do these studies in Oklahoma, but we can look at other states and regions for results... FULL ARTICLE
Posted on
Tue, September 28, 2010
by Crystal Drwenski