Sand Springs Board of Education approves resolution of solidarity with teacher walk-out

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The Sand Springs Public Schools Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution of solidarity with the teacher walkout movement in a special meeting Thursday night at the Charles Page High School Fine Arts Building, and authorized Superintendent Sherry Durkee to close schools for as long as necessary while the district is understaffed.

The Board is not preemptively planning to close schools on or after April 2nd, but will do so if enough teachers walk out that the safety of students is in jeopardy, or the schools are unable to continue effective conduct of operations. 

Additionally, the Board addressed the "chronic underfunding of public school education" and stated their full support of all measures taken by teachers "to demand the necessary funding for a meaningful teacher pay raise and education funding."

The Oklahoma Education Association has issued a deadline of April 1st for the Oklahoma Legislature to fund pay raises and education needs. The organization is calling for $10,000 in teacher pay raises over a three-year period, starting with $6,000 in the upcoming school year and $2,000 for each consecutive year. Additionally, they are demanding pay raises for all support personnel, as well as increased funding for materials, textbooks, and other district needs. 

SSPS currently employs nearly 200 OEA members, and Superintendent Durkee has previously stated the district will not be able to function if that many teachers walk out. 

If the demands of the OEA aren't met by April 1st, the organization is calling for all teachers to strike and visit the State Capitol in protest. 

"Our teachers are special here in Sand Springs," said Board President Beau Naugle. " We recognize that and we appreciate what you do for our kids that have been here, that are here now, and that will be here in the future of Sand Springs."

Superintendent Durkee praised the Board and the seventy-plus community members in attendance applauded the Board for their actions.

Resolution Concerning Board Policy CKCA Emergency School Closings

"Whereas Board policy CKCA, Emergency School Closings, does not expressly include circumstances when insufficient staffing may constitute a reason to close school(s) within the District, and
Whereas the Board believes insufficient staffing can prevent the safe and effective conduct of school operations,
Now therefore be it resolved, that the Board directs the Superintendent to prepare the necessary policy amendment to include the following language in Policy CKCA:
'Abnormal conditions' and 'emergency' shall include circumstances where the superintendent determines that, whether for voluntary or involuntary reasons, there will be insufficient staffing present to assure the safe and effect conduct of school operations at one or more of the district's school sites.'
The Board further directs the Superintendent to administer and apply Policy CKCA being informed by the expression of the boards Intent resolved this fifteenth day of March 2018."

Resolution Regarding Board Support of Teacher Voices

"Whereas the Sand Springs Public School Board of Education recognizes the chronic underfunding of public school education and continued cuts more than a decade; and
Whereas the Sand Springs Public Schools. Board of Education is a witness the consequences of this chronic underfunding and sees the victims in our teachers, staff, students, families community and state; and
Whereas the Sand Springs Public Schools Board of Education has supported and worked for solution after solution to fund teacher pay raises and common education, only to see the legislature fail to find common ground and pass legislation comprehensively addressing this emergency; and
Whereas teachers provide critical work in our classrooms and have waited far too long for adequate classroom resources and a desperately needed pay raise, and
Whereas, in the interest of our students and families, because Oklahoma cannot allow this crisis to continue through another legislative session, we support all measures taken by  our classroom teachers to demand the necessary funding for a meaningful teacher pay raise and education funding; and
Whereas we are confident our community, including parents, families, caregivers, faith leaders and followers, business leaders, laborers, teachers' families and their school district administrators, neighbors and friends will gracefully fill the gap and make the sacrifices it will take while our teachers advocate for what they need to educate our children and secure the future of Oklahoma in ways they see fit.
Be it resolved that the Sand Springs Public Schools Board of Education is in full support of our teachers and stands ready to take action consistent with its duty to provide educational services to its students to improve conditions for our teachers.
The Sand Springs Public Schools Board of Education urges the Oklahoma State Legislature to work urgently on behalf of the children and families in our state to take swift and meaningful action to develop a viable plan to pay teachers the professional salaries they deserve. Resolved this 15th day of March 2018."

Governor Mary Fallin Issues Statement on State Budget Negotiations

OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today issued the following statement on state budget negotiations: 

“Our state is facing serious budget challenges. It’s important to have thoughtful, honest negotiations with all parties. Let me just start out by stating bluntly – there is no budget deal. First off, if I had reached a budget deal, I would have announced it. House Minority Leader Scott Inman had a meeting yesterday with my senior staff for budget talks, as we have had with the other parties involved. I’ve been working to bring parties together. Any reference to him and me striking a deal must be clarified.

“To bring focus and move the budget process along, I provided legislative leaders of both parties with a worksheet of previously discussed ideas on how to accomplish the goals I placed in my special session call. However, like the public, I am disappointed by the lack of progress in accomplishing these goals almost two weeks after the start of the special session.

“The clock is ticking toward some very serious consequences for nearly one million Oklahomans who depend on services provided by the Department of Mental Health, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority and the Department of Human Services.

“I again urge the Legislature to continue to work diligently to fill the budget hole and put our state on a more stable budget path, as well as provide a needed teacher pay raise. Ihope that soon we can announce that there is a budget agreement. But as of right now, let me be clear – if there’s only person at the altar, there is no marriage.”

Senate committee approves bill for construction of Health Lab

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Senate Appropriations Committee approved legislation Wednesday to construct a new state health lab. Sen. Kim David, R-Porter, is the author of Senate Bill 236 to authorize the Oklahoma Capitol Improvement Authority to issue nearly $59 million in bonds for the construction of the new facility. 

David said the lab has faced losing its accreditation since 2008, which would be detrimental and extremely costly for the state, and this year the legislature must act.  

“The Oklahoma Health Lab is at serious risk of losing its accreditation, which will shut the lab down and the state will have to outsource all services at an additional cost of $9 million annually,” said David, Senate Appropriations Chair. “The lab provides crucial health services for not only the state but for counties and the public as well. Their work includes diagnosing and preventing the spread of communicable diseases, identifying terrorist events and providing newborn screenings for inherited metabolic disorders. We must ensure those services are not interrupted.”

Built in 1972, the Health Lab is one of the oldest in the nation. Numerous assessments by the Association of Public Health Laboratories, the College of American Pathologists and other organizations since 2008 have concluded that the facility is outdated and not capable of supporting technically advanced work. The building is also prone to flooding and has an unreliable heat and air system that can negatively impact tests performed on site.

In 2015, the Long Range Capital Planning Commission identified $349 million in total critical capital needs and the health lab was at the top of the list.

The Department of Health estimated the cost of a new 49,000 square-foot lab would be $40 million in 2009. Today, they estimate the cost will require a 20-year bond for $58.5 million.  

David pointed out that the use of bond financing for the project will not increase the state’s debt as nearly half the state’s tax-backed bond debt will be paid off by 2020. 

Senator Micheal Bergstrom files bill to fund teacher pay raises

SUBMITTED

OKLAHOMA CITY – State Sen. Micheal Bergstrom has filed a bill that would cap tax credits at $25 million statewide for electricity generated by zero emission facilities, including wind energy, and another that could use the savings to provide a graduated teacher pay raise over the next three years.

“Teachers need a pay raise in Oklahoma,” said Bergstrom. “At the same time we have another massive revenue shortfall, which will make funding a pay increase difficult, so I authored legislation to cap the payouts on our wind tax credits and my hope is to use some of the money we save to begin funding that pay raise. The two bills I have submitted would be a good step in the right direction.”

Under the provisions of Senate Bill 95, the proposed $25 million tax credit cap for zero emission facilities would be effective for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2017. The Tax Commission would allocate the credit under the cap, where it could be reduced, depending if more credits are claimed than the $25 million cap. Currently, there is no cap for tax credits for zero emission facilities. In 2014, $113 million was claimed in wind tax credit, which included carryover, but only $59.7 million was actually paid out to taxpayers. Under SB 95, that credit would be limited to $25 million.

“We have good reasons to not only cap the wind credits program payouts, but to close this program. In fact, the Incentive Evaluation Commission has recommended doing just that,” said Bergstrom, R- Adair. “Our program for encouraging the generation of electricity through wind has been successful; however, especially considering the difficult situation we find the state in, with an $868 million revenue shortfall, we can no longer afford these overly generous tax credits.”

Bergstrom has also filed Senate Bill 97, which would give Oklahoma teachers an incremental pay raise over the next three years. The legislation would align Oklahoma public school teacher pay more closely with average national pay schedules, which are outlined in the bill.  For example, an Oklahoma public school teacher with a bachelor’s degree with five years’ experience would earn $34,500 for the 2017-18 school year, $36,500 the next year, and $38,500 in the third year. Bergstrom says he would like to use the anticipated savings from the wind credit cap to fund the bump in teacher pay. The provisions of the teacher pay bill are contingent on the adoption of the wind credit legislation.

Bergstrom says the legislation he’s authored won’t completely shore up the gap in teacher salaries, but it’s a start. 

“Unfortunately, the limit on wind credit payouts is not enough to fund a $5,000 teacher salary increase in a single year,” said Bergstrom. “Keeping that in mind, I have structured Senate Bill 97 so that teachers will receive a $1,000 raise the first year, and $2,000 in each of the next two years. By passing these bills, even in a difficult budget year, we are demonstrating to the public and to our teachers that Oklahoma is serious about education and taking care of those who teach our children.”

Sen. Mazzei tells Incentive Evaluation Commission it’s time to end state’s wind power tax credit

SUBMITTED

Outgoing Senate Finance Chairman Mike Mazzei addressed the Incentive Evaluation Commission Thursday in support of a report that examined the cost versus benefits of the state’s Zero Emission Facility tax credit.  The PFM consulting group determined the cost significantly exceeds the benefits of the program, and recommends that the credit termination date should be accelerated.

In addition to having served as the chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Mazzei is a licensed certified financial planner.  For years he has advocated the need to reduce or end tax credits that have not produced the economic benefits for the state necessary to justify continuing them.  Mazzei said the wind farm credit is a prime example of that.  Under current law, a wind farm must be placed in service before January 1, 2021 in order to claim the credits.  Mazzei said the credit should be discontinued in 2017.

“In 2010, this credit cost Oklahoma $3.7 million, but as of 2015, the cost exceeded $100 million.  The whole goal of any tax incentive should be to generate economic benefits that are greater than the cost.  When you look at the direct economic benefit from the wind power facilities in 2015, it was $78.4 million and produced only $17.1 million in tax revenue,” said Mazzei, R-Tulsa.  “When you take into account the fact that Oklahoma is looking at a budget shortfall of at least $600 million for fiscal year 2017, we clearly cannot afford to wait until 2021.”

Last year, Oklahoma was ranked 3rd in the country for total megawatt hours of 1,423,000.  Mazzei said it was obvious the tax incentives had facilitated a significant amount of wind power facilities and megawatt capacity.  However, in light of the cost versus the benefit, the significant budget constraints facing the state and the many unmet funding needs for core functions, the production tax credit needed to end sooner.

“During the years the cost of this tax credit was skyrocketing, we were reducing education funding.  Since 2009, K-12 funding is down $95 million even though student enrollment is up by 40,000.  We’re now 50th in the nation in teacher pay,” Mazzei said.  “But that’s not all.  Healthcare costs for the state are increasing significantly every year.  We don’t have enough highway patrol officers.  Our prisons are severely understaffed.  We still haven’t caught up on all our deficient roads and bridges.”

Mazzei said the tax credit program also lacks adequate protections such as an annual cap for the program which would limit the annual expense to the state and enable lawmakers to anticipate the exact cost for budgeting purposes.  Furthermore, the report documents that in 2014, 154 corporate interests took advantage of the program.  This enormous corporate welfare is certainly not fair to the other 1.6 million tax filers in Oklahoma who sent their money to the state hoping for good schools, good roads, and good law enforcement.  He also noted the analysis by PFM showed Oklahoma is the only state in the country accepting new wind power facilities.  Mazzei called on the members of the Incentive Evaluation Commission to approve the analysis report by PFM on the Tax Credit for Zero Emission Facilities.

“In addition, I strongly encourage every member of the 2017 legislature to read this report and support legislation to end the wind power tax credit in 2017,” Mazzei said.

Superintendent Durkee comments on proposed Special Session of Legislature, district financial difficulties

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Governor Mary Fallin has recently released a statement calling for a special session of the State Legislature to reallocate $140.8 million that was initially cut from agency allocations. Without a special session, the money will be equally redistributed among all agencies receiving general revenue allocations, according to a report.

“I’ve begun discussions with legislative leaders to consider calling lawmakers to return in special session to address the issue of teacher pay raises,” says Fallin.

Sand Springs Superintendent Sherry Durkee expressed doubts that the session would amount to anything. “It’s hard to be optimistic when you look at how budgets are formulated at the State level.”

The available funds aren’t true surplus, and are only one-time funds that exist solely due to unnecessarily deep allocation reductions required by the Fiscal Year 2016’s midyear revenue failure. Because of this, any attempt at a pay raise for teachers would only be sustainable for this year, and would require additional funding be located in the future.

According to Superintendent Durkee, district funding from the State will be down 2.3% behind last year, despite assurances from the Capitol that it would remain flat. Additionally, certain allocations were not made available this year, including funding for new textbooks. The school board made the decision to go ahead and purchase textbooks with money from the district general fund, an option that many districts across the state aren’t capable of. The school district is also 51 employees fewer than this time last year. “Class sizes are going to grow,” said Durkee. “Our goal is to not overspend our revenue...We have to protect our district.”

A lawsuit has already been filed asking the Supreme Court to demand that Governor Fallin return the money to the State agencies from whom it was cut. Senate Democratic Leader John Sparks, of Norman, issued the following statement Wednesday.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—we don’t have to pass a new law to determine how and where these funds should be spent. We passed a budget in May of 2015 which directed how these funds were to be spent. The governor and her staff are over-stepping their authority by continuing to withhold these funds. The governor’s finance team needs to simply distribute these funds to the agencies for which they were originally appropriated. This is not a difficult problem to solve—just follow the law, and distribute the funds to the agencies who suffered unlawful and unauthorized cuts.

“This is another example of the Republicans at the state Capitol not following even their own laws. Instead, the burden is on hard working Oklahomans to hold the governor, her fiscal staff, and the Republican leadership at the Capitol accountable.

“Thousands of Oklahomans across our state are suffering under the weight of the massive budget cuts forced on our state agencies, from foster families and guardians who need the most basic health and safety services which no longer have funding; to teachers who received pink slips; to corrections staff working in unsafe, understaffed conditions.

“It is long past time for the governor, her fiscal staff, and the Republicans in the Legislature to stop trying to play politics with these funds and simply give it back to the agencies that desperately need this funding and received what we now know were unnecessary, damaging budget cuts.”