In the past few weeks, lawmakers have approved a package of funding increases that included pay raises for teachers, school support staff, and state workers, along with additional money for school operations. They also passed a number of tax revenues to pay for this new funding. However, as teacher walkouts continute, there have been conflicting claims as to whether the new revenue fully funds the new spending commitments. A new fact sheet from Oklahoma Policy Institute aims to clear up this confusion. We find that in year 1, the new revenue is about $13 million shy of new spending commitments. In year 2, the shortfall grows to $116 because the money generated by the cigarette tax increase will be shifted from supporting the education funding plan to health care services. The funding approved by lawmakers for education also doesn’t come close to undoing Oklahoma's cuts to general support for education. Since 2008, state aid funding has been cut by $179 million, which has led to fewer teachers, counselors, librarians, and teacher aides; larger class sizes; fewer courses and programs; and outdated textbooks, among other effects. The $50 million in new funding, besides what is dedicated to teacher and support staff raises, is still less than one-third of the amount that has been cut since 2008, without accounting for increased enrollment and higher costs. Also today on the OK Policy Blog, we shared an analysis on whether teacher raises could be delayed by a veto petition being organized by anti-tax activists. If the veto petition makes it to the ballot, both the tax increases and the teacher pay increase could be put off until after a vote of the people, likely in November. That means raises would not be in effect in time for next school year. The blog post concludes: Putting the funding package on the ballot almost guarantees a huge mobilization and strong electoral turnout by teachers and other supporters of public education, which could hurt Republican candidates in the fall election. The main goal of Oklahoma Taxpayers Unite seems to be to warn Republican lawmakers about the political perils of raising taxes; the lesson they may learn instead is to stop messing with teachers. For more fact sheets, infographics, and other information about the state funding crisis and teacher walkout, see our resources page here. | Oklahoma Policy Institute
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