For Immediate Release: April 17, 2012
Senate Democratic Leader Sean Burrage and Caucus Chairman Tom
Ivester comment on passage of HB 3038
“Oklahoma does not have enough revenues
to even begin to meet critical needs in education, health, public
safety, transportation and other services our citizens depend
upon. House Bill 3038 will further erode those resources. We’re
48th in the nation in the health of our citizens. If this becomes
law, we’ll soon be 50th. We’re close to last when
it comes to teacher pay and per pupil spending. We’ll soon
be dead last in those categories, too. Supporters claim we’re
going to see businesses and people flock to Oklahoma if we end
the income tax. When they see Oklahoma’s schools, roads
and bridges, and our public health all ranked last in the nation,
this will be the last place in the nation they’ll want to
come.”—Sen. Sean Burrage, D-Claremore
“The State Capitol building is crumbling
around us. We don’t know how we’re going to pay for
the DHS reforms that are supposed to prevent more Oklahoma children
from dying in state custody. We have yet to restore funding cuts
in education and other critical areas in the wake of the national
recession. No one promoting the elimination of one-third of the
state’s revenue is addressing these issues, except with
vague claims that this will bring in more jobs, more taxpayers
and that will take care of it. These are empty political promises
that will leave thousands of Oklahomans without vital services
and many more with a lower quality of life.”—Sen.
Tom Ivester, D-Sayre