What’s missing is a perspective on what this state needs to do to move forward. And yes, there is an alternative to meeting rising revenues with tax cuts.

But seeing that institutional memory is short, that alternative path remains a road not taken.

As far as those tax cuts go, the trimming that has already taken place is substantial: Tax cuts that went into effect this year – personal income and corporate – total $347 million.

Proposed tax cuts would eliminate another $557.2 million in state revenues. On the off chance that all of these would pass, that would total over $900 million in revenue wiped off the books, most of which would be, in effect, permanent.

These are astounding figures, and not everyone is on board. State Rep. Kevin Wallace and state Sen. Roger Thompson, who chair committees on appropriations and the budget in their respective chambers, want to put the brakes on the tax-cut talk.

They have good reason for this. While most are seeing a steady flow of rising revenues and an influx of federal cash, Wallace and Thompson remember leaner times.

When the energy industry took a downturn a few years back, that roaring river of tax money slowed to a trickle. The state watched as hundreds of millions of reserve funds evaporated within months. The state saw revenue failures, steep state agency budget cuts and a teacher walkout.

Moody’s even downgraded the state’s credit rating.

Those bad old days weren’t long ago, and they came on the heels of several years’ worth of tax cuts that left the state defenseless against the fiscal bomb that dropped on the state Capitol.

The state’s revenue situation has improved markedly since then. After the oil crash of the last decade and the subsequent pandemic, Oklahoma’s economy came roaring back.

While that’s been cheered, the damage from our last budget crisis remains largely unresolved.

Oklahoma is ranked No. 46 in education. Per pupil funding and teacher pay all lag, and teachers are leaving in droves, be it through retirement, taking jobs in other states or leaving the profession altogether.

The state’s health rankings are also poor: 45th in the country. While not as bad, Oklahoma’s mental health ranking isn’t exactly a selling point either, sitting at No. 38 in the country.

Oklahoma lags behind the country in the percentage of residents with college degrees at 27%. Nationally, the figure is more than 10 points higher.

All of these are significant headwinds to progress that more tax cuts can’t fix. We can’t wish these problems away, or magically sloganeer our way to top 10 status.

Instead, we can invest. And right now, the opportunity for investment is prime. What’s more, we have evidence that if you dedicate state funds toward improvement, you can see results.

We published a story recently about the number of county bridges that are rated structurally deficient or poor. It’s a high number. As of now, 2,035 county bridges fit the definition of deficient or poor.

But there’s a flip side to this story that shows amazing progress.

Back in 2005, the condition of state and county bridges was at a crisis level. Oklahoma had 1,078 state-maintained bridges that were structurally deficient or poor, and 5,426 county-maintained bridges with those same rating.

As you can see above, that list of bad county bridges is down by more than 60%. Among state-operated bridges, that number is now just 67.

That’s progress, and it didn’t happen by accident. The state dedicated spending every year to fix these bridges. There’s still room for improvement, but there’s no denying the impact. Oklahoma bridges are safer and sturdier than they were in 2005.

I imagine back then, this challenge seemed overwhelming. But a commitment of time and money has produced tangible, positive results.

More to the point, they were needed changes. Oklahoma drivers needed safer roads and bridges. So did their employers. It’s hard to sell the state when the people you’re recruiting to come (or convince to stay) think the place is falling apart.

That sentiment is at stake now. If you want to keep people from leaving Oklahoma for greener pastures, you need to assure them that the state is a place where education is valued. Employers want a workforce that’s ready to go. Families want a safe place to raise their kids.

None of these things come for free.

I’d caution against spending every dime of new revenue growth. That’s unsustainable. The down times hit hard when states spend like the good times will never end. But we can spend more on state services than we do now.

Every school board member and candidate I talked to (and there were many) agreed that money is one of the key pieces to improving schools.

Health professionals – especially those working with populations that depend on Medicare and Medicaid – say the same thing.

In other words, we have urgent fiscal needs in Oklahoma.

What isn’t urgent? Tax relief.

No one likes paying taxes, and everyone likes a smaller tax bill. I know I do.

But I also know that the services I depend on cost money.

Oklahoma’s tax burden is among the lowest in the country, ranked 41st. That puts us nine spots below Texas, the powerhouse state often cited for its business-friendly tax environment.

We have a real opportunity right now. Instead of slashing another half a billion dollars in taxes, why not take half of that and invest it in our schools? Why not take a piece of that and bolster our health and mental health services?

How about keeping tuition costs down with an infusion of funds into Oklahoma’s colleges and universities?

Oklahoma has shown the ability to look at a big problem, make a plan, and back it up with the funds needed to solve it.

As I see it, we have two choices. We can do what we’ve normally done and let chronic problems fester, or we can bet on ourselves with action that sets us up for long-term success.

The budget process is still underway at the Capitol. Here’s hoping our elected leaders look toward a legacy of success rather than short-term accolades from short-sighted lobbyists.