March 15, 2018
By Doug Stanglin
Oklahoma City — A revenue package (click here) to pay for a 12.7 percent teacher pay raise failed on the Senate floor by a narrow margin late Wednesday.
The measure’s failure came after a bill to give teachers the raise passed the Senate floor by a 35-11 vote. Because it was not a revenue bill, it did not require a supermajority.
The revenue-raising measure considered by the Senate late Wednesday needed 36 votes — a supermajority — to pass. It had 34 votes in support, with 12 votes opposing in the 48-member Senate.
Revenue-raising measures must originate in the House. The Senate amended a House bill in an attempt to provide revenue for the teacher pay raise.
The revenue package included a $1 per pack cigarette tax increase, a 6-cent hike in the gasoline and diesel tax, and an increase in the gross production tax on all wells to 4 percent from 2 percent.
That is standard to long term funding measures. Alcohol, tobacco and petroleum pays higher tax rates. That is the way it works. Oklahoma needs to pass a funding measure to take care of the kids.
The proposals were expected to have generated $450 million if put into effect.
Eight Democrats joined four Republicans in voting against the funding measure. Senate Minority Leader John Sparks did not return a phone call seeking comment. Likewise, Sen. J.J. Dossett, D-Owasso, could not be reached for comment.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Kim David, R-Porter, held the vote on the revenue-raising measure on a motion to reconsider the vote by which it failed. Therefore, it could come up again.
Oklahoma teachers and state employees have indicated that they will walk off the job April 2 if a pay raise is not forthcoming....
