Teacher Pay Solution

[Owasso Taxpayer Alliance Admin]

Teacher Pay Solution

FB comment by Michael Bates

http://www.batesline.com/

The problem with the teachers' strike is that it is grounded in a false understanding of the situation at the State Capitol. Forces (including Gov. Fallin and the Chambers of Commerce) that want to grow state government and protect wasteful spending and wasteful tax credits are holding teacher salaries hostage to force a tax increase now and make it easier to raise taxes in the future.

State revenues are up nearly a billion dollars over last year. The Health Department crisis has revealed the tip of an iceberg of waste and duplication in state government that needs to be fully explored. Our State Land Office, which owns 750,000 surface acres and mineral rights for 1.2 million acres for the benefit of common education, could be contributing more each year. Fiscal conservatives in the legislature (sadly, a minority there) have proposals that provide teacher pay increases of $5,000 (or more) without raising taxes on Oklahoma wage earners. If teachers would pressure legislators to support a plan for pay increases without higher taxes, they'd have their pay raise and we could move on.