| FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE – February 7, 2020
Senate Review
by Senator J.J. Dossett
I was born
and raised right here in Senate District 34, and my hope is when
my children grow up, they’ll be able to find jobs and raise
their families here. I am sure my friends, neighbors and fellow
citizens throughout the district share that hope.
That’s
where having an excellent public education system comes in. The
better job we do giving kids the tools they need to succeed, the
more likely they are to graduate and go on to obtain post-secondary
degrees, whether that’s at a college, university or a careertech.
And it’s a fact that the more education a person has, the
greater their earning potential. We also know that companies offering
the best paying jobs target locations that offer a well-educated
workforce.
When we invest
in education, we are investing in the future of our children and
the future of this state. But my concern after working so many
years to bring education to the forefront and make the priority
it should be is that we’re going to start losing momentum.
After two consecutive years of teacher pay raises, I think leaders
need to understand there’s much more to be done.
Many of the
advancements of the historic education reform and funding measure,
House Bill 1017, approved in 1990, were severely weakened if not
completely undone after years of budget cuts. We’ve still
not addressed overcrowding in our classes or provided adequate
resources to ensure every child has their own textbooks—books
that are up-to-date and not falling apart. We need more technology
in the classroom as well.
The governor
didn’t really address these specific issues in his State
of the State address this past Monday. But he did ask for legislative
leaders to set aside an additional $100 million for savings—savings
that already top a billion dollars. That’s after he sought
and succeeded in obtaining an additional $200 million in savings
last year beyond the state’s Rainy Day Fund deposit.
It’s
critical for our state to have emergency savings for economic
downturns, just as it is important for families to do the same.
But to continue to add to your savings at the expense of addressing
real and pressing needs within your household is a short-sighted
approach. A family that neglects basic maintenance for their home
will end up paying more in the long run. Putting money away while
failing to provide necessities for your children is neglect.
Despite a
slowing economy and what will probably be a flat budget year,
we do have additional resources that could be invested in education
this year. Making those investments will pay dividends for our
state for years to come.
I welcome
your comments on state government and the issues before us. Please
feel free to contact me by writing to Senator J.J. Dossett at
the State Capitol, Room 521-A, Oklahoma City, OK, 73105; call
me at (405) 521-5566.
MAKE IT COUNT
OKLAHOMA! Census Day is April 1 and Oklahoma needs a full count.
An undercount in the census of just 2 percent can cost the state
$1.8 billion in lost federal money over the next 10 years. Fill
out your census form, Oklahoma. Learn more at: www.2020census.gov.
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