June 6 2006

Tuesday, June 6, 2006

Government

Election season begins

By Kelley Chambers

The Journal Record

OKLAHOMA CITY – On the first day of candidate filing at the state Capitol on Monday, 415 people registered, an increase over what is thought to be the state record of 399 on the first filing day four years ago.

Monday was the first of a three-day filing period for individuals seeking one of 318 public offices up for election this November.

Candidates came in spurts throughout the day, beginning at 8 a.m., including both a who’s who of state government and those seeking public office for the first time.

Mike Clingman, state election board secretary, said prospective candidates first had to complete a declaration of candidacy, which was provided by the board.

The next step was to have the form notarized and provide a cashiers check or certified check to cover the filing fee.

Fees ranged from $200 up to $1,500 for governor.

Among those filing was Gov. Brad Henry, who arrived a little after 2:30 p.m. to add his name to the list for a second term as governor.

After filing, Henry addressed both his candidacy and the current status of state budget negotiations that were not completed before the Legislature came to an end of session last month.

Henry credited his administration with a booming state economy, building better health and safety systems, cracking down on methamphetamines and the ability to work with both Democrats and Republicans.

“Oklahomans are more proud of Oklahoma than they’ve ever been,” he said.

As far as a budget agreement, which must be reached by July 1, Henry said he was “pleased we’ve been able to get both sides talking again.” He said a budget agreement between the House and Senate is “99-percent complete.”

“We understand that no party has a monopoly on all good ideas,” he said.

Henry was joined by his wife, Kim, and daughters Laynie and Baylee.

Looking to his family, Henry said, “We want to continue working for Oklahoma.”

Other candidates for governor had their own take on the governor’s performance, and how they would do the job, if elected.

U.S. Rep. Ernest Istook, R-Warr Acres, arrived at about 3 p.m. to file for governor with his wife Judy.

Istook stressed a stronger private sector, improving infrastructure in Oklahoma and smaller state government.

“I don’t believe in the philosophy of trying to make state government bigger,” he said.

Istook said it is “important to have a governor that leads, rather than one that tries to follow others’ ideas.”

Another candidate for governor, state Sen. James Williamson, R-Tulsa, also filed Monday afternoon.

Williamson, who is leaving the state Senate to run, addressed his perceived shortcomings with both Henry and Istook.

“I don’t believe Brad Henry has provided strong decisive leadership for the state of Oklahoma,” he said.

Williamson said he especially opposes Henry’s implementation of lottery, casino and tobacco tax measures.

As to differences with fellow Republican Istook, Williamson said he questioned the congressman’s claims that he is a fiscal conservative.

“He (Istook) doesn’t support lawsuit reform and the Taxpayers Bill of Rights as I do,” he said.

Williamson did say that the Republican candidates for governor have agreed to support the eventual Republican nominee.

Henry, Istook and Williamson were the only candidates to file for governor on Monday.

The first candidate of the day to file was state Rep. Mike Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, the incumbent for House District 91.

Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson, state Treasurer Scott Meacham andsState Superintendent of Public Instruction Sandy Garrett all filed for re-election.

Republicans Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin, state Rep. Kevin Calvey, R-Del City, Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett and Democrat Bert Smith all filed for the District 5 congressional seat, which is being vacated by Istook.

The candidate filing period concluded for the day at 5 p.m.

Candidates have until 5 p.m. on Wednesday to file for office. The State Election Board will continue to accept candidate filings from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. today and Wednesday

Primary elections are July 25 with a runoff primary election Aug. 22. The general election will be held on Nov. 7.

Candidates file for office

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Here is a list of candidates who filed with the state Election Board, including office, name, age, hometown, party and day filed, with (M) for Monday, (T) for Tuesday and (W) for Wednesday. Inc. signifies incumbent.

Congress

U.S. House

District 1

Evelyn L. Rogers, 53, Tulsa, R (M).

John Sullivan, 41, Tulsa, R. Inc. (M).

Fran Moghaddam, 64, Tulsa, R. (M).

District 2

Dan Boren, 32, Muskogee, D. Inc. (M).

District 3

John Coffee Harris, 56, Tulsa, D. (M).

Frank D. Lucas 46, Cheyenne, R. Inc. (M).

District 4

Tom Cole, 57, Moore, R., Inc. (M).

District 5

Bert Smith, 58, Oklahoma City, D. (M).

Kevin Calvey, 39, Del City, R. (M).

Mary Fallin, 51, Oklahoma City, R. (M).

Mick Cornett, 47, Oklahoma City, R.(M).

Governor

Brad Henry, 42, Oklahoma City, D. Inc. (M).

Ernest Istook, 56, Warr Acres, R. (M).

James A. Williamson, 55, Tulsa, (M).

Lieutenant Governor

Jari Askins, 53, Duncan, D. (M).

Pete Regan, 36, Afton, D. (M).

Nancy Riley, 47, Tulsa, R. (M).

Scott Pruitt, 38, Broken Arrow, R. (M)

E.Z. Million, 65, Norman, I. (M)

State Auditor and Inspector

Jeff A. McMahan, 46, Tecumseh, D. Inc. (M).

Gary Jones, 51, Cache, R. (M).

Attorney General

Drew Edmondson, 59, Oklahoma City, D. (M).

James Dunn, 44, Luther, R. (M).

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Sandy Garrett, 63, Oklahoma City, D. Inc. (M).

State Treasurer

Scott Meacham, 43, Edmond, D. Inc. (M).

Howard Barnett, 55, Tulsa, R.(M).

Commissioner of Labor

Lloyd L. Fields, 48, McAlester, D. (M)

Frank Shurden, 65, Henryetta, D.(M)

Insurance Commissioner

Bill Case, 51, Midwest City, R. (M).

Corporation Commissioner

Cody Graves, 45, Oklahoma City, D. (M).

Bob Anthony, 58, Oklahoma City, R. Inc. (M).

Rashid Abdulla, 48, Tulsa, I. (M).

State Senator

District 2

Sean Burrage, 38, Claremore, D. (M).

Bob L. Brown, 69, Claremore, R. (M).

Damon B. Harris, 41, Claremore, R. (M).

District 4

Kenneth Corn, 29, Poteau, D. Inc. (M).

District 6

Jay Paul Gumm, 42, Durant, D. Inc. (M).

District 8

Roger Ballenger, 55, Okmulgee, D. (M).

District 12

John Mark Young, 55, Sapulpa, D. (M).

Brian Bingman, 55, Sapulpa, R. (M).

District 14

Johnnie C. Crutchfield, 59, Ardmore, D. Inc. (M).

District 16

Derrick Ott, 25, Norman, D. (M).

Tim Emrich, 30, Norman, D. (M).

District 20

David Myers, 67, Ponca City, R. (M).

District 24

Daisy Lawler, 63, Comanche, D. Inc. (M).

Anthony Sykes, 33, Moore, R. (M)

District 26

Wayne Walters, 49, Canute, D. (M).

Todd Russ, 45, Cordell, R. (M).

District 30

Glenn Coffee, 39, Oklahoma City, R. Inc. (M).

District 32

Randy Bass, 52, Lawton, D. (M).

District 34

Randy Brogdon, 52, Owasso, R. Inc. (M).

District 36

Bill Brown, 61, Broken Arrow, R. (M).

Joe Lester, 62, Broken Arrow, R. (M).

District 38

Mike Schulz, 42, Altus, R. Inc. (M).

District 40

Pat Potts, 73, Oklahoma City, D. (M).

Cliff Branan, 44, Oklahoma City, R. Inc. (M).

District 44

Debbe Leftwich, 54, Oklahoma City, D. Inc. (M).

District 46

Drew Dugan, 37, Oklahoma City, D. (M).

Rhonda Rudd, 42, Oklahoma City, D. (M).

Winston Barton, 64, Oklahoma City, R. (M).

Joshua Jantz, 25, Oklahoma City, R. (M).

District 48

Willa Johnson, 67, Oklahoma City, D. (M).

Connie Johnson, 54, Oklahoma City, D. (M).

State Representative

District 1

Jerry Ellis, 59, Valliant, D. (M).

District 2

Glen Bud Smithson, 57, Sallisaw, D. Inc. (M).

District 3

Neil Brannon, 65, Arkoma, D. Inc. (M).

District 4

Mike Brown, 49, Fort Gibson, D. Inc. (M).

District 6

Kenny Weast, 26, Chelsea, D. (M).

Chuck Hoskin, 54, Vinita, D. (M).

Henry Flanders, 65, Welch, D. (M).

Wayland Smalley, 42, Chelsea, R. (M).

District 8

Ben Sherrer, 37, Chouteau, D. (M).

District 9

Tad M. Jones, 33, Claremore, R. Inc. (M).

District 10

Kent Jeter, 47, Copan, D. (M).

Steve Martin, 58, Bartlesville, R. Inc. (M).

District 11

Earl Sears, 53, Bartlesville, R. (M).

District 14

Dianne Baker Harrold, 55, Fort Gibson, D. (M).

District 15

Gary W. Updyke, 67, Checotah, D.(M).

Ed Cannaday, 65, Porum, D. (M).

District 16

Jerry Shoemake, 63, Morris, D. Inc. (M).

District 17

Brian Renegar, 55, McAlester, D. (M).

District 18

Terry Harrison Jr., 33, McAlester, D. Inc. (M).

District 19

R. C. Pruett, 61, Antlers, D. Inc. (M).

District 20

Paul D. Roan, 63, Tishomingo, D. Inc. (M).

District 21

John Wayne Carey, 35, Durant, D. Inc. (M).

District 22

Wes Hilliard, 32, Sulphur, D. Inc. (M).

District 23

Steve Gallo, 35, Tulsa, D. (M).

Sue Tibbs, 71, Tulsa, R. Inc. (M).

District 24

Dale Turner, 65, Holdenville, D. Inc. (M)

District 25

Blake Cantrell, 24, Ada, R. (M).

Darrell E. Nemecek, 56, Ada, D. (M).

District 26

Guy A. Goodine, 65, Shawnee, D. (M).

Kris Steele, 32, Shawnee, R. Inc. (M).

District 27

Ken Etchieson, 61, Tecumseh, D. (M).

Shane Jett, 31, Tecumseh, R. Inc. (M).

District 28

Ryan Dean Kiesel, 26, Seminole, D. Inc. (M).

District 29

Kathryn S. Thompson, 66, Bristow, D. (M).

Skye McNiel, 27, Bristow, R., (M).

District 30

Dennis Campbell, 56, Sapulpa, D. (M).

Vernon D. Howard, 51, Sapulpa, R. (M).

District 31

Dale DePue, 70, Edmond, R. Inc. (M).

District 32

Danny Morgan, 47, Prague, D. Inc. (M).

Carl Randall, 42, Meeker, R. (M).

District 33

Lee R. Denney, 52, Cushing, R. Inc. (M).

District 34

Terry L. Ingmire, 49, Stillwater, R. Inc. (M).

District 35

Rex Duncan, 44, Sand Springs, R. Inc. (M).

District 36

Eddie Fields, 39, Wynona, R. (M).

District 37

Ken Luttrell, 52, Ponca City, D. (M).

Stan Paynter, 49, Ponca City, R. (M).

District 38

Dale R. DeWitt, 56, Braman, R. Inc. (M).

District 39

Marian Cooksey, 62, Edmond, R. Inc. (M).

District 40

Mike Jackson, 28, Enid, R. Inc. (M).

District 41

Paul C. Denny Jr., 70, Enid, R. (M).

Jeff Davis, 44, Piedmont, R. (M).

Arthur W. Reed, 69, Enid, R. (M).

Tim Vanover, 53, Waukomis, R. (M).

District 42

Lisa J. Billy, 39, Purcell, R. Inc. (M).

District 43

Earline Smaistrla, 59, Yukon, D. (M).

Kim Dimuke, 33, Yukon, R. (M).

Colby Schwartz, 32, Yukon, R. (M).

District 44

Bill Nations, 63, Norman, D. Inc. (M).

District 45

Wallace Collins, 65, Norman, D. (M).

Thad Balkman, 34, Norman, R. Inc. (M).

District 46

Tom Robinson, 59, Norman, D. (M).

Scott Martin, 34, Norman, R. (M).

Jim Tidmore, 57, Norman, R. (M).

District 47

Susan Winchester, 56, Chickasha, R. Inc. (M).

District 48

Greg Piatt, 43, Ardmore, R. Inc. (M).

District 49

Terry M Hyman, 54, Leon, D. Inc. (M).

Bettie D. Johnson, 60, Madill, R. (M).

District 50

Melvin Jones, 59, Duncan, D. (M).

Dennis Johnson, 52, Duncan, R. (M).

District 51

Raymond Gene McCarter, 59, Marlow, D. Inc. (M).

District 52

David B. Braddock, 49, Altus, D. Inc. (M).

District 53

Randy Terrill, 36, Moore, R. Inc. (M).

District 54

Paul Wesselhoft, 58, Moore, R. Inc. (M).

District 55

Charlie Wieland, 53, Hydro, R. (M).

District 56

Phil Richardson, 63, Minco, R. Inc. (M).

District 57

James E. Covey, 57, Custer City, D. Inc. (M).

District 58

Jeff Hickman, 32, Dacoma, R., Inc. (M).

District 59

Rob Johnson, 32, Kingfisher, R. Inc. (M).

District 60

Purcy D. Walker, 54, Elk City, D. Inc. (M).

District 61

Gus Blackwell, 50, Goodwell, R. Inc. (M).

District 62

Janice Drewry, 68, Lawton, D. (M).

T.W. Shannon, 28, Lawton, R. (M).

District 63

Don Armes, 44, Faxon, R. Inc. (M).

District 64

Ann Coody, 68, Lawton, R. Inc. (M).

District 65

Joe Dorman, 35, Rush Springs, D. Inc. (M).

District 66

Lucky Lamons, 46, Tulsa, D., Inc. (M).

District 67

Pam Peterson, 50, Tulsa, R. Inc. (M).

District 69

Darrell Gwartney, 53, Jenks, R. (M).

Christopher S. Medlock 48, Tulsa, R. (M).

Jeff Applekamp, 44, Tulsa, R. (M).

District 70

Ron Peters, 61, Tulsa, R. Inc. (M).

District 71

Daniel S. Sullivan, 43, Tulsa, R. Inc. (M).

District 72

Darrell Gilbert, 56, Tulsa, D. Inc. (M).

District 73

Jabar Shumate, 30, Tulsa, D. Inc. (M).

District 74

Stan Brooks, 49, Owasso, D. (M).

Wayne Guevara, 34, Owasso, D. (M).

Carl Weston, 51, Catoosa, D. (M).

Greg Peters, 39, Owasso, R. (M).

District 75

Dennis Adkins, 42, Broken Arrow, R. Inc. (M).

District 76

John A. Wright, 51, Broken Arrow, R. Inc. (M).

District 77

Eric Proctor, 23, Tulsa, D. (M).

Mark Liotta, 43, Tulsa, R. Inc. (M).

District 78

Jeannie McDaniel, 57, Tulsa, D. Inc. (M).

Jesse Guardiola, 34, Tulsa, R. (M).

District 79

Weldon Watson, 58, Tulsa, R. (M).

District 80

Butch Daniels, 62, Bixby, D. (M).

Kimberly Fobbs, 40, Broken Arrow, D. (M).

Ron Peterson, 45, Broken Arrow, R. Inc. (M).

District 81

Ken Miller, 39, Edmond, R. Inc. (M).

District 82

Guy Liebmann, 70, Oklahoma City, R. Inc. (M).

District 83

Ed Holzberger, 55, Oklahoma City, D. (M).

Jim Whitmer, 61, Oklahoma City, R. (M).

Randy Grau, 30, Edmond, R. (M).

Mary Jane Calvey, 61, Oklahoma City, R. (M).

Randy McDaniel, 38, Oklahoma City, R. (M).

George S. Farha, 88, Oklahoma City, I. (M).

District 84

Sally Kern, 59, Oklahoma City, R. Inc. (M).

District 85

Jennifer Seal, 31, Oklahoma City, D. (M).

Chris Oliver, 42, Oklahoma City, R. (M).

David Dank, 67, Oklahoma City, R. (M).

Chip Keating, 26, Oklahoma City, R. (M).

District 86

John Auffet, 61, Stilwell, D. Inc. (M).

Mike Wininger, 51, Stillwater, D. (M).

District 87

Dana Orwig, 51, Oklahoma City, D. (M).

Joe Hartman, 21, Oklahoma City, D. (M).

Trebor Worthen, 26, Oklahoma City, R. Inc. (M).

District 88

Casey Davis, 31, Oklahoma City, D. (M).

District 89

Pam Cross, 52, Oklahoma City, D. (M).

Rebecca Hamilton, 58, Oklahoma City, D. Inc. (M).

District 90

Charles Key, 52, Oklahoma City, R. (M).

Robert Everman, 44, Oklahoma City, R. (M).

J.D. Johnston, 63, Oklahoma City, R. (M).

District 91

Mike Reynolds, 55, Oklahoma City, R. Inc. (M).

Sheryl Johnson, 42, Oklahoma City, R. (M).

District 92

Richard D. Morrissette, 50, Oklahoma City, D. Inc. (M).

Michael Starega, 43, Oklahoma City, R. (M).

District 93

Al Lindley, 59, Oklahoma City, D. Inc. (M).

Mike Christian, 36, Oklahoma City R. (M).

District 94

Larry W. Gooch, 61, Del City, D. (M).

Scott Inman, 27, Oklahoma City, D. (M).

Rex Barrett, 30, Del City, R. (M).

District 95

Lee Roy Tucker, 64, Midwest City, D. (M).

Max Wolfley, 52, Midwest City, D. (M).

Charlie Joyner, 65, Midwest City, R. (M).

Daniel R. Bays, 27, Midwest City, R. (M).

District 96

Lance Cargill, 34, Harrah, R. Inc. (M).

District 97

Mike Shelton, 33, Oklahoma City, D. Inc. (M).

District 99

Tom Nash, 62, Oklahoma City, D. (M).

Wayne Chandler Jr., 62, Oklahoma City, D. (M).

Larry Foster II, 27, Oklahoma City, D. (M).

Willard Linzy, 48, Oklahoma City, R. (M).

J.M. Branum, 29, Oklahoma City, I. (M).

District 100

Mike Thompson, 29, Oklahoma City, R. Inc. (M).

District 101

Gary Banz, 60, Midwest City, R. Inc. (M).

Supporters for education hand over signatures

By Janice Francis-Smith

The Journal Record

OKLAHOMA CITY – More than 170,000 signatures in support of putting the “65 percent solution” on the ballot in Oklahoma were delivered to the secretary of state on Monday, said Bob Sullivan, spokesman for the First Class Education initiative.

The secretary of state now starts the certification process, to make sure there are at least 117,101 valid signatures of Oklahoma voters before sending the measure to the governor. If there are enough valid signatures, Gov. Brad Henry will set a date for voters to decide the issue.

Proponents of the measure say the change would put another $278 million into the classroom without raising taxes. But deciphering the numbers cited by the group can be a real test, say opponents of the proposal.

Oklahoma is one of at least 10 states in which a group called First Class Education, based in Washington, D.C., hopes to get the 65 percent proposal on the ballot in 2006. The measure would mandate that school districts spend at least 65 percent of their operational budget “in the classroom,” on things like teacher salaries, books, supplies and computers.

The group reports that Oklahoma ranks 46th nationally in the percentage of dollars that makes it into the classroom. The 540 school districts in Oklahoma spend, on average, 58 percent of their operational budgets in the classroom and 42 percent on things like administration, transportation, maintenance and school nurses.

“According to the June 2005 report of the National Center for Educational Statistics, the national state average being spent in the classroom is 61.3 percent,” reads an information sheet from First Class Education for Oklahoma.

However, according to “The Condition of Education 2006” from the NCES, nationally 52 percent of expenditures for schools goes toward instruction, 7 percent toward administration and 8 percent to operation and maintenance. While 13 percent of schools’ budgets goes to capital outlay and interest, the remaining 20 percent is classified as “other,” which includes expenditures for student support, instructional staff, transportation and food services. The NCES report on The Condition of Education 2005 reported nearly the same percentages for expenditures for the previous year.

Tim Mooney with the national office for First Class Education said the discrepancy between the numbers his group cited and those included in the NCES’s annual reports may result because the center’s report includes dollars spent on capital outlay, while First Class Education is just looking at operational dollars.

Nationwide, legislatures in Kansas and Louisiana have passed legislation encouraging the idea without making it mandatory, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry has issued an executive order requiring state schools to meet the 65-percent benchmark. A campaign to get similar measures on the ballot is under way in Colorado, Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Ohio and Oklahoma. The measure proposed for Oklahoma would mandate that schools reach the 65-percent benchmark, but does not include any penalties, said Sullivan. The Legislature would have the power to create penalties, he said.

“I strongly encourage Governor Henry to put this on the July 25th election ballot so that Oklahoma’s children can begin receiving the benefits as soon as possible,” said Sullivan, an Oklahoma City businessman and a candidate for the governor’s race this year. “We have met with strong opposition from the teachers unions to undermine this effort, but today everyone’s hard work is beginning to pay off. This is a great day for Oklahoma parents and their children.”

Though the 65 percent proposal would allow school districts to spend more on teacher salaries and hiring more teachers, the Oklahoma Education Association teacher’s union opposes the measure, which they call the “65 percent deception,” said Executive Director Lela Odom. OEA has filed a lawsuit against the state of Oklahoma, charging the state has underfunded education to the tune of $4 billion, but the organization maintains that the 65 percent proposal will do more harm than good.

“Sixty-five percent of inadequate is still inadequate,” said Odom. Though First Class Education touts polling results that show more than 80 percent of Oklahomans favor the proposal, Odom said the people have been misinformed. “This gives the impression that it’s putting more money into education,” said Odom, “but it’s just moving the money around.”

First Class Education reports that only two states – New York and Maine – representing 23 percent of America’s school districts spend at least 65 percent of their operational budgets in the classroom. Information provided by the group shows that in Oklahoma, only nine school districts meet or exceed the 65 percent benchmark, three of which are in Oklahoma County. Comanche, Creek, Washita, Le Flore, Grady and Pottawatomie each had one school district that spent at least 65.11 percent on instruction.

Sullivan said First Class Education came up with 65 percent as a benchmark due a survey that showed the top 25 percent of school districts nationally spent at least 64 percent of their operational revenues in the classroom.

But Odom had some questions about what is considered an “in classroom” expenditure. First Class Education classifies expenditures for athletics, music and other extracurricular activities as “in classroom” expenditures, but expenditures for transportation and utilities are not.

“So the mileage to and from a football game are included, but you couldn’t count the mileage for the bus going to and from school,” said Odom. In Oklahoma, several school districts are located in rural areas and have to spend a larger percentage of their budgets on the cost of busing students to and from school, particularly now that the price of gasoline is so high, she said. “Children can’t learn if they’re sitting in the classroom in their coats and mittens because the district can’t pay their heating and cooling costs,” said Odom.

OEA is still considering whether or not to organize a concerted effort to oppose the 65 percent proposal, said Odom, as the organization is already enmeshed in a battle to defeat a ballot item that would implement limits on government spending, often referred to as a Taxpayer Bill of Rights, or TABOR initiative. The TABOR proposal is receiving a greater priority because it would create a constitutional amendment, said Odom, but the 65 percent proposal, which does not include penalties for lack of compliance, would create only a legislative change.

“It (the 65 percent proposal) could always be reversed by the Legislature,” she said.

Governor says budget work 99-percent complete

By Tim Talley

Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY – Gov. Brad Henry said Monday budget negotiations between House and Senate leaders are 99-percent complete and he expects lawmakers to return to the Capitol within the next 10 days to finalize a budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

But the Senate’s appropriations chairman was less optimistic. State Sen. Johnnie Crutchfield, D-Ardmore, said budget negotiations are scheduled to resume on Tuesday and how quickly lawmakers return to finalize the budget will depend on their progress.

“I’d say we’re less than 99-percent there. We’re close,” Crutchfield said. “We could agree to the budget tomorrow. We’re close enough that we could.”

Henry called a special session to finish work on the budget shortly before lawmakers adjourned on May 26 without a budget for the 2007 fiscal year.

Work on a state budget has stalled over Republican demands for the largest tax cut in state history and Democrat spending priorities for education, health care and roads and bridges. State government agencies will run out of money after the end of the month unless a new budget is put in place.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee, state Rep. Chris Benge, R-Tulsa, said Senate Democrats “seem determined to bring government to a halt.”

Benge said Senate leaders began hinting at the need for a special session to work on the budget as early as March. He said Henry and House leaders have developed a compromise budget plan that could have been approved last month.

“But the Senate refused to join in those discussions until it was impossible to complete our work on time,” Benge said.

“The people don’t care who controls the Legislature. They expect us to do our jobs and its time we finished the state budget,” he said.

Lawmakers are expected to return to the Capitol for at least three days to finalize funding for state agencies. It costs about $150,000 a week for the Legislature to convene.

The Legislature is working to write the largest budget in state history – more than $7 billion including more than $1 billion in revenue from economic growth and one-time windfalls.

House Republican leaders have embraced a plan drafted by Henry that would cut the top income tax rate from 6.25 percent to 5.5 percent, provide $2,400 annual pay raises for public school teachers and place at least $150 million into a state research endowment.

The income tax cut would reduce state revenue by $93.2 million in the fiscal year that begins July 1 and $255 million when fully implemented, officials said. Hiett has agreed to Senate demands that elimination of the estate tax be phased in over three years, a $66 million cut when fully implemented.

Senate Democratic leaders developed a separate plan that includes no income tax cut but would match Oklahoma’s standard deduction with the federal level, a $172 million cut in revenue when fully implemented.

It also calls for $3,000 across-the-board pay raises for state teachers, an additional $130 million to colleges and universities, another $50 million for roads and bridges, $45 million for a 5-percent pay raise for state workers and $25 million a year for the next 20 years to prop up the Oklahoma Teachers Retirement System.

Odds and Ends

Commerce Department report spurs Quality Jobs forecast dispute

By Kirby Lee Davis

The Journal Record

TULSA – The uproar all started Monday afternoon when the Oklahoma Department of Commerce released another media update on its Quality Jobs Program membership. Over the next three years, the department said Spirit Aerosystems would add an impressive 1,285 aircraft parts manufacturing jobs in Tulsa – which should support another 1,684 jobs in Tulsa County.

The news release also said Norman software designer Power Costs Inc. would hire 51 more people over the next three years, fueling 77 other Cleveland County jobs, and Climatecraft Inc. of Oklahoma City would add 190 positions, supporting 113 more Oklahoma County posts.

It all seemed a routine accounting of growth by new program members, which Quality Jobs Program Manager Richard Schwalbach attributed to company projections. But Spirit’s Angela Summers, who handles public relations for the company’s Tulsa and McAlester operations, not only disavowed the forecast, but openly wondered how the Commerce Department could come up with it.

So did Don Carlisle, Spirit vice president and general manager for the two facilities.

“Don called the Department of Commerce and said, ‘You’d better make this go away,’” Summers said. She knew of nothing the department could base such projections on. “I know we’ve made no statement like that.”

At 3:30 p.m., the department revised not only the job numbers in a new press release, but also stressed the uncertainty factor behind them. Wichita, Kan.-based Spirit Aerosystems “will potentially” add 548 jobs over the next three years in Tulsa, the department release now said, while Power Costs “will potentially employ 35 more people” and Climatecraft could add 150.

The projected number of jobs supported by this growth did not change. But no matter – Spirit disputed the 548 figure as well.

“I hope we add that many jobs,” said Summers, stressing the company had no such estimate for growth. “I don’t know where they got that number.”

Schwalbach, however, maintained these company figures were based on “their projections” and “their business plan.” He also stuck by the 1,285 number, although he said it was a five-year projection instead of three-year.

“If they create 400 jobs instead of 548, there’s no penalty,” said Schwalbach of the three-year revision. “That’s based entirely on what they actually manage to create.”

The Quality Jobs Program creates an incentive for companies to locate or expand in Oklahoma through quarterly cash payments of up to 5 percent of new taxable payroll – paid to qualifying companies for up to 10 years. Since its start in July 1993 the program has drawn national praise and rebated more than $400 million to 400-plus contracts with locating, expanding and startup businesses.

But to qualify for that 10-year return, a company must achieve a $2.5 million taxable payroll for any four consecutive quarters in its first 12 quarters in the program, among other factors. And it must maintain that $2.5 million payroll for four consecutive calendar quarters on a cumulative basis, or it risks losing its rebates until it gains that back.

Spirit, which emerged from last year’s Onex Corp. deal to acquire those former Boeing facilities, fits that program by retaining its Oklahoma work force at the two plants. At first, Summers suspected the Commerce Department had taken its employment figures and simply applied them to the forecast. But she then noted Spirit employs about 1,470 in Oklahoma, with about 230 of those in McAlester.

While that is up from a year ago, when Onex found itself employing just over 1,000 in Tulsa and 130 in McAlester, she said it did not equate to Monday’s projections.

Compounding the issue, last month a report in the Tulsa press suggested Spirit would add several hundred positions this year – which Summers rejected.

“We will hire some people,” she said, “but we’ve never stated just how many.”

Senate creates college savings task force

OKLAHOMA CITY (JR) – The Oklahoma Legislature created a task force to explore ways to increase the number of citizens saving for college educations.

House Concurrent Resolution 1075, by state Sen. Daisy Lawler and state Rep. Randy Terrill, created the Oklahoma College Savings Task Force.

“In the Legislature, we’re always looking for ways to make our state more economically competitive and prosperous, and studies show that increasing the number of college graduates will do just that,” said Lawler, D-Comanche. “We’re hoping that through this task force we can find ways to help students from lower- and middle-income families better handle the financial burden of a college education.”

Lawler said the rising cost of a college education decreases access.

The task force was formed to review and make recommendations about program options to increase the number of, and amount of, savings in Oklahoma 529 college savings plans, particularly the college savings of lower income families.

“We believe that by increasing the number of Oklahoma families that save for a college education for their children, we can increase the number of children expected to complete their college education,“ said Terrill, R-Moore. “Our ultimate goal is to help more Oklahomans attain a college degree because it could be their pathway out of poverty and into a better life.”

The 16-member task force will consist of state agency heads, representatives from the banking, finance and investment industry, financial literacy organizations, and economic development groups as well as appointments made by the governor and legislative leaders.

The first meeting will be called by the governor and held no later than Sept. 15. The findings and recommendations of the Task Force will be reported by Dec. 31.