My Senate colleagues and I spent the past week of session reviewing the details of the proposed state budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. The $12.59 billion spending plan keeps state government spending relatively flat while prioritizing investments in public education, local transportation initiatives, higher education projects and military bases across the state.
This budget includes $6.2 million to improve Rivers Elementary School, the school located on Altus Air Force Base. The federal government is providing 80% of the funding and the Altus School District is providing 10%, multiplying the impact of this state investment. This is a quality-of-life initiative to ensure military personnel and their families feel comfortable, valued, and at home on base.
The state budget increases public education funding by $121 million, or about 3%. This includes a $26 million increase in the school funding formula to extend the teacher salary schedule. This will guarantee that compensation for our most experienced teachers aligns with their years of service. The budget also supports teacher benefits, including paid maternity leave. Additionally, it invests in a new “Grow Your Own Educator” program, which helps bolster our teacher pipeline to get more talented teachers in the classroom.
The budget also boosts funding for Oklahoma Career Tech Centers, including the four such centers in Senate District 38, to expand programs and support the enrollment of 10,000 new, full-time students over the next five years. Funding for OU Health will support a new pediatric heart hospital in Oklahoma City so families can access specialized care close to home, instead of having to travel out of state. Oklahoma State University will receive funding to build a new, state-of-the-art veterinary medicine facility. This will be essential for training the next generation of veterinarians in Oklahoma.
Rural counties will get more funding to fix and update roads and bridges, making travel safer and easier across the state. This budget includes $75 million for the Preserving and Advancing County Transportation Act, which aims to bring all 77 counties up to $4,000 in funding per road mile. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation will also receive a $20 million boost to modernize weigh stations to ensure commercial trucks meet safety standards. This will limit long-term wear and tear on state highways.
Another budget item that could benefit Senate District 38 is $2.3 million to expand efforts to eradicate invasive cedar trees that suck up significant amounts of water from watersheds across the state. I’m optimistic that the expansion of this program could include eradicating these trees around the upper North Fork of the Red River Basin, which would help southwestern Oklahoma conserve water.
The budget includes funding to purchase a privately owned prison facility in Lawton. This facility employs more than 4,000 local workers, all of whom will retain their jobs after the state assumes ownership. The private operator had announced plans to end its contract with the state, leaving lawmakers with limited options to ensure continued oversight of the inmate population and job security for the facility’s staff.
Lastly, the budget simplifies the state’s tax code by consolidating tax brackets. Also included is a tax cut to reduce the state’s top income tax rate from 4.75% to 4.5% and a plan to phase out state income taxes. I plan to elaborate on these specific proposals in the coming days.
To contact me at the Capitol, please write to Senator Brent Howard, State Capitol, 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd. Room 427, Oklahoma City, OK, 73105, email me at [email protected], or call (405) 5215612.
