The 2016 Legislative Session is over, more or less - although we'll be suffering from the fallout for at least another year.

If you're aware enough of what's going on statewide to be annoyed, but haven't had the time or inclination to read up on every issue, here's the Blue Cereal Guide to the Latest Oklahoma Clusterfoolery - State Budget Edition.


 


The State Budget / Tax Polices

Because "throwing money at a problem doesn't solve it," our legislative leadership argues, eliminating all revenue and funding for constititutionally mandated functions MUST be the solution. Oklahoma Logic.

‘Behind Smoky Doors’: Last-minute bills breed public distrust - David Blatt, Oklahoma Policy Institute (6/2/16) - "In May, most of the rules go out the window. Brand-new bills can be introduced, amended, and approved with lightning speed, with little if any opportunity for the public – and most legislators – to understand what’s going on."

 

Teacher Pay / Teacher Retention

State Could Fall to Bottom in Average Teacher Salaries - Jennifer Palmer, Oklahoma Watch (5/27/16) - "Boren and other supporters acknowledge that a higher sales tax is not the preferred solution to education funding, but say they have no other choice because state lawmakers refuse to address an education crisis that could harm the state for generations."

 

One way to deal with a shortage of teachers is to crash and burn the budget so we can't afford more than one adult for every hundred or so kids - not MY favorite solution, but it's something.

 

I'm bewildered that the state had to form a 60-member commission to study this issue for a year in order to come up with a few common sense measures (make it easier to move your certification here from other states) and some truly inane ideas (how about some 'How Great It Is To Teach!' flyers w/ pictures of happy educators on them?) That's nothing compared to the ridiculous slew of promises from the Governor and any number of legislators this session that TEACHERS were all getting this GINORMOUS raises because they just LOVE us SO MUCH! It's prettty hard to insult Oklahoma teachers more than the state leadership normally does, but that pretty much did the trick.

 

NO EDUCATOR ANYWHERE IN THE STATE believed for three seconds that any of this was even remotely plausible. Now, it's always difficult to tell when our elected leaders are being cynical to the point of viciousness and when they're simply so delusional that they probably shouldn't be left home alone - at least not without removing all sharp objects and turning off the gas. But I for one grew weary of that particular brand of salt being constantly rubbed into our other wounds.

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