State Questions

[Frederick]

My problem with the increase in sales tax is that it's already insanely, stupidly high in the OKC area where i live (8.375%). Now they want to make it 9.375% **** that. It would give us the highest sales tax in the country. I don't know how Tulsa is, but i'm guessing a similar situation. Why can't we fund our education system with tax rates similar to other states? Where are our tax dollars going? Where are other states raising their taxes that we aren't?

This is a very regressive tax and hurts those of us that don't make six figures.

 

[Burk Cornelius]

Guthrie will be over 10% sales tax if this passes

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[dennishoddy]

It's for the children, quit whining and pay the tax..

 

[rawhide]

That's the problem. Less than 40% actually goes to teacher raises. Higher education gets 20% and the rest goes towards "common ed" whatever the hell that is. The legislature should've handled this mess but felt like they needed to kick the can down the road. I say we vote no and put it back in their laps. This is THEIR mess, I'm not paying more taxes to clean it up.

60% MUST go to teacher salaries, 9.5% to district to improve programs, 19.25% to higher-ed, 8% to early childhood, 3.25% to career tech. Prevents legislature from doing what has been done in the past. Use new revenue to replace rather than supplement education funding.

The legislative blame is decades, if not nearly a century old. I would prefer a legislative fix also, but putting it back in their lap will just kick the can another decade down the road. What does that outcome look like? The sales tax is not an ideal fix but the chances of something positive replacing it in the near future are slim. I've never voted for a tax increase before but will be voting yes on this one.

 

[tomthebaker]

It's for the children, quit whining and pay the tax..

No, it's for the administration. If they really wanted to take care of the kids they could. They use the kids as a lever to get more tax revenue. Their favorites are Fire, Police, and Schools as emotional leverage to get more of our money.

 

[CHenry]

if 780 passes there will be money savings oout the wazzoo in just a few years and there will be prisons closing because there is not enoough people to fill them as happened in TX when they did a similar bill. Use that savings to fund mental health and addiction AND education. Win win...

 

[sanjuro893]

60% MUST go to teacher salaries, 9.5% to district to improve programs, 19.25% to higher-ed, 8% to early childhood, 3.25% to career tech. Prevents legislature from doing what has been done in the past. Use new revenue to replace rather than supplement education funding.

The legislative blame is decades, if not nearly a century old. I would prefer a legislative fix also, but putting it back in their lap will just kick the can another decade down the road. What does that outcome look like? The sales tax is not an ideal fix but the chances of something positive replacing it in the near future are slim. I've never voted for a tax increase before but will be voting yes on this one.

I agree the legislature will kick the can down the road, that's why we need to replace them next week. I refuse to throw any more of my money at education while our state colleges are taking such a massive chunk of it. We're already paying out the ass as it is. If this question passes, teachers will get raises that will BARELY put them in the competitive salary range for the region and the other states have the funding to just bump theirs up a little more and then we're right back in the same boat but NOW we have the highest sales tax in the country. It's a sloppy, half-ass fix to a problem the legislature has a DUTY to fix. On top of that, I don't know what you make a year but I sure as hell can't afford paying even more than I already do in taxes so come Tuesday I guess you and I will be cancelling out each others' votes.

 

[ConstitutionCowboy]

Yeah, look at SS recipients. They get a .3% increase but the state takes 22.2% more in sales taxes. This island we're on is about to flip over ...

Woody

 

[dennishoddy]

No, it's for the administration. If they really wanted to take care of the kids they could. They use the kids as a lever to get more tax revenue. Their favorites are Fire, Police, and Schools as emotional leverage to get more of our money.

That's exactly true. Our administrator in Ponca draws the second highest salary in the state and our students place well below our state average. Town of 30,000. We can't even win a football game.
Horse racing was going to put education first, then the lotto was going to save it, then casino' we're going to be the answer to education.
I'm voting no on this tax

 

[dennishoddy]

Yeah, look at SS recipients. They get a .3% increase but the state takes 22.2% more in sales taxes. This island we're on is about to flip over ...

Woody

When did we get a 3% increase?