Gov. Fallin: Oklahomans "will not be led astray"
Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin gave her ‘State of the State’ address to a joint session of the Oklahoma Legislature on Monday.
The Gayly presents here some of her major points, and important associated facts.
Gov. Fallin said she wants to improve the quality of education, and is proposing a $50 million increase, or 1.2%, to education spending to help students at Oklahoma's public schools. In 2011, Fallin’s first year as Governor, Oklahoma was third from the lowest in the amount states spend per student, at $7,587. That was a 3.9 percent reduction from 2010. The only states spending less were Idaho and Utah. The national average that year was $10,560.
Fallin says the state is currently graduating high school seniors who aren't ready for the workforce or college. In 2010, the Legislature voted to adopt new, higher standards in English and math. Fallin says those new Oklahoma standards will be fully implemented this year.
Gov. Fallin is proposing budget cuts of up to 5 percent for many state agencies. She says her budget proposes targeted spending cuts and asks agencies to continue to find ways to operate more efficiently and effectively and to cut waste. She says that any business "worth its salt" can find 5 percent cost savings without crippling the services it provides.
Fallin is proposing a .25 percent reduction in Oklahoma's income tax rate. Fallin says she believes that responsibly lowering the income tax is the right thing to do. The governor says it's the people's money and it should stay with the people. Fallin says a tax cut would allow people to invest in businesses, spend money and help create Oklahoma jobs.
The reduction would return over $100 million to the state economy if fully realized, increasing the state’s economy by 7/100ths of one percent.
Gov. Fallin says she remains opposed to the Medicaid expansion that's called for in the Affordable Care Act. She says expanding Medicaid would place Oklahoma on "a fiscally unsound path," even though the Federal government would fund the entire increased cost of expanded Medicaid the first two years, and 90 percent after that.
Fallin says officials in Washington want to lead the nation in the wrong direction, but Oklahomans "will not be led astray." She says the state will find its own way forward.
She didn’t address how she would ‘find a way forward’ to cover the 600,000 Oklahomans living without health insurance, many of whom aren’t eligible for subsidies under the Affordable Care Act because of her refusal to expand Medicaid.
Governor Fallin said that she wants to give targeted pay raises to state employees who are paid below market value. She also wants to alter the current pay system to one that rewards performance over time served, and believes doing so will encourage better productivity and services.
At the same time, she wants new workers hired within the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System to be moved from a pension system to the 401k-style retirement benefits used in the private sector.
Public employee unions and advocates say that leaves workers open to the swings of the market, makes planning for retirement difficult, and takes away the assured income that many employees of private business, and all current state employees, enjoy.
Fallin is proposing a plan to help local school districts pursue safety upgrades like storm shelters, safe rooms and precautions against active shooters. The need for storm shelters in Oklahoma's public schools has been discussed since a massive tornado struck Moore in May, killing seven students at Plaza Towers Elementary School. Fallin wants to allow every school district to pursue a one-time increase in bonding capacity to fund upgrades like storm shelters.
Her probable Democratic opponent in this year’s election, State Rep. Joe Dorman, has proposed a state bond issue to put shelters in all schools. Fallin has opposed Rep. Dorman’s effort.
Fallin also proposed a bond issue to repair the state capitol building. She says the building has become a safety hazard. The building's exterior is falling apart to the point where officials worry about state employees and visitors — including teachers and students on field trips — being hit by falling pieces of the facade.
She says raw sewage is leaking into the Capitol basement. On good days, she says, visitors can only see the disrepair. On bad days, they can smell it.
Staff report, prepared from Associated Press dispatches. Data presented obtained from US Government sources.
The Gayly – February 4, 2014 @ 11:20am