OKLAHOMA CITY — Senate President Pro Tem Mike Schulz expects to try again to secure approval of a revenue package to fund a 12.7 percent teacher hike.
Late Wednesday, the Senate passed the pay hike, but the measure to fund it failed by two votes to garner the supermajority of 36 votes needed for revenue-raising bills.
The upper chamber’s eight Democrats joined four Republicans in voting against the measure, which needed 75 percent approval to pass.
The measure, House Bill 1033xx, would have put an additional $1 tax on cigarettes, hiked the gasoline and diesel tax by 6 cents and raised the gross production tax to 4 percent from 2 percent on all wells.
It was expected to raise $450 million.
But Senate Minority Leader John Sparks, D-Norman, said the projected revenue amount fell far short of what is needed.
People are also reading…
Teachers and state employees have said they will walk off the job April 2 if pay raises are not forthcoming.
The measure failed to provide operational funds to keep schools open five days a week and also didn’t provide for support staff raises, Sparks said.
It would have redirected money generated by tobacco taxes from health care and redirected fuel tax money from roads and bridges, he said.
“If this bill had passed last night, it more than likely would not have passed the House,” Sparks said. “If it had passed the House in the current form, it would not have averted a walkout on April 2.”
His counterpart in the House agreed.
“We don’t think there was enough revenue in the package the Senate proposed,” said House Minority Leader Steve Kouplen, D-Beggs. “We barely saw the proposal before it was voted on in the Senate and didn’t have a lot of time to review it. When you look at the bottom line, it didn’t have enough money.”
The measure was held on a motion to reconsider the vote by which it failed, meaning it can be brought back up.
Schulz, R-Altus, said he felt confident that at some point the 36 needed votes can be secured.
Senate Republican leaders were asked if the effort was all for show.
Not at all, said Senate Majority Floor Leader Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City.
“This is a solution,” Treat said.
“This is in no shape or form aimed at trying to stop the walkout, trying to prevent the walkout,” Schulz said. “We want to get this solved.”
