Education Administrators Organization Supports Lawsuit Against Special Session

The Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration (CCOSA) supports a lawsuit filed against Governor Fallin and others over the $140.8 million left over from budget cuts. Fallin is talking with Legislative leaders about a possible special session to reallocate the money for teacher pay raises. Attorney David Slane filed the suit in hopes of having the money returned to the agencies from which it came.

“Our organization supports the efforts of Mr. Slane. The lives of many Oklahomans were forever affected due to the cuts made during the previous fiscal year. Students missed opportunities as programs were cut and educators lost their jobs, burdens increased in many departments including Corrections and Health, and many of our most vulnerable citizens lost access to critical services,” said CCOSA Executive Director Ryan Owens.

“Last month we alerted our members to the legally questionable actions of the state Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) and requested that the $140+ million overage of state general revenue funds, resulting from OMES cutting more than required by law, be returned to state agencies rather than being re-appropriated for a teacher pay raise.”

Owens is against calling a special session.

“Allowing the Legislature to reconvene in special session for the purpose of reallocating funds which were unlawfully reduced establishes a dangerous precedent. These funds were already appropriated by the Legislature to specific entities and for specific purposes,” said Owens.


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