Reaction to State of the State Address

Here is a sampling of the various responses to Governor Fallin’s final State of the State Address.

Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Schulz:

“The Oklahoma Senate appreciates Governor Fallin’s emphasis on solving our budget issues. The Senate has repeatedly passed responsible revenue measures that would help fix the structural problems in our state budget and pay for important things like a teacher pay raise. But we can’t only focus on revenue. We need to implement budgetary reforms and prioritize our spending to ensure the most efficient use and best return on each tax dollar collected. We look forward to working with the governor and our colleagues in the House on solutions to our budget problems so that we can move Oklahoma in the right direction.”

House Speaker Charles McCall:

“Governor Fallin outlined our revenue problems and offered several ideas today that many Republicans in the House of Representatives can agree with. I share the governor’s belief that Oklahoma citizens want a solution to our budget issues and expect stability in our core government services. A much-needed teacher pay raise is still the top priority for House Republicans, but we need to identify a revenue stream to fund that commitment. The compromise revenue package crafted by the Step Up Coalition is a solution. The plan will get a hearing in the House of Representatives, and lawmakers will have an opportunity early in the legislative session to deliver for our citizens.

“I understand that House Democrats have some concerns with the package; to be clear, House Republicans certainly don’t like everything in the Coalition’s plan, either – but that is why it is a compromise. The plan offers serious governmental reforms that will both increase accountability and oversight over the administrative agencies and stabilize our budget for future economic downtowns. And it provides revenues that will bring certainty and stability to the services we provide Oklahomans, as well as a $5,000 across-the-board pay raise for our state’s public school teachers. I am optimistic that members in the House – both Republican and Democratic – can come together, compromise and solve our budget issues quickly so we can move on to other important policy work that will move our state forward.”

Oklahoma Policy Institute Executive Director David Blatt:

“Governor Fallin has identified the right goals for this year’s legislative session: pass new revenues to fix the budget, reform ineffective and cruel criminal justice policies, and fund mental health and addiction treatment. The structural budget deficit and incarceration crisis are years in the making, but Oklahomans from many backgrounds have reached a remarkable consensus on the direction that we need to go.

“While the Governor’s address identifies the right problems, her budget makes clear that we still have a long way to go to fully solve them. Even with all revenues from the Step Up Oklahoma plan included, Governor Fallin’s FY 2019 budget does nothing to increase general support for K-12 schools and higher education that have been cut the most in the nation. It does not address overcrowding and staff shortages in state prisons. It does not provide pay increases for thousands of state workers, many of whom have gone more than a decade without a raise. It does not undo cuts to community health providers or reduce the long developmental disabilities care waiting list.

“The Governor’s proposals are a first step towards correcting a decade of cuts and underfunding. However, Oklahoma has much more to do put our state on a path to good health, safety, and prosperity for all of us.”

OCPA President Jonathan Small:

“Working Oklahomans are clawing out of the economic downturn. The budget gap has dramatically shrunk to less than $200 million. The most important thing for policymakers is to not increase in any form or fashion the personal income tax on Oklahomans. Lawmakers should also be wary of the impact their policy decisions may have on lower-income and middle-income Oklahoma families.

“This session provides the Governor and lawmakers the opportunity to fulfill their campaign promises: to right-size state government (which is near all-time highs) and reform government structures. Medicaid enrollment audits, TSET reforms, ending Oklahoma’s Hollywood and film production boondoggle that paid millions to Harvey Weinstein, ending crony capitalism to out-of-state wind energy companies and tribes selling tobacco, and initiation of performance and process improvement audits at every single state agency–all of these are better than simply raising taxes on Oklahomans. Pursuing these reforms will generate the savings and revenue needed to give every classroom teacher a $5,000 a year raise and protect Oklahomans.”

Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Chris Powell:

“It was telling when the Governor delivered what she thought was an applause line, that this was her final State of the State address, but the House Chamber remained quiet.  It was not that they were sad that she could not stay longer, but a fear of appearing too eager for her departure that created the awkward silence.  In her speech the Governor called for accountability, but instead the people of this state were offered a cheerleader for the proposals from Step Up, a package of tax hikes and window-dressing reforms offered by a coalition of corporate elites whom the Governor has spent her entire political career representing.  Gov. Fallin made it clear that she has no intention of looking for efficiency in state government until after raising taxes, a recipe for avoiding reform of mismanagement and waste altogether.  The Governor spoke of the futility of continuing to do the same thing while expecting different results, but offered nothing in the way of a new approach.  I offer a new direction for Oklahoma, and intend to give a State of the State in 2019 that speaks of accountability and leadership towards greater liberty and prosperity for all Oklahomans, and unlike Governor Fallin I will back up those words with action.”

Americans for Prosperity-Oklahoma (AFP-OK) State Director John Tidwell:

“We are disappointed Governor Fallin thinks the only way to ‘restructure inefficient government entities’ is to saddle Oklahomans with nearly $800 million in new taxes. Propping up bad policies with more of Oklahomans’ hard-earned money will only reinforce the irresponsible behavior that got us here.

“Unless we look at meaningful reforms that address the roots of the problem, we are throwing good, taxpayer money after bad. Not only will we continue urging our lawmakers to reject legislation and tax hikes that will do nothing to right the ship, we will work to advance real reform measures that will control spending and require responsible budgeting practices. We don’t need a bigger government. We need a better government.”