Supporters deny proposal to hurt schools

By The Associated Press
Supporters of a proposed state constitutional amendment to limit state government spending denied Tuesday the plan would harm schools and other state services.

State Sen. Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso, said his version of the Taxpayer Bill or Rights, known as TABOR, "works out a few kinks" in Colorado's law that has created controversy.

Officials of several groups that are pushing an initiative petition to have a statewide vote on Brogdon's proposal joined him in defending the plan against attacks that it would take away future revenue from schools, roads, health care and other areas.

"The citizens of Oklahoma deserve to know the truth" about TABOR, said Mike Osborn, director of the Oklahoma chapter of the Washington-D.C.-based Americans for Prosperity Foundation. "They deserve better than the fear mongering and misinformation they have gotten so far."

"It's not a draconian measure," said Rick Carpenter, who heads Oklahomans for Action, the group circulating an initiative petition for a statewide vote on limiting state spending to annual population growth, plus inflation.

A similar plan has been effect for several years in Colorado, where voters will decide next week whether to suspend TABOR's restrictions for five years.

Colorado's Republican governor, Bill Owens, a former TABOR supporter, is supporting the suspension. His office says that failure to do so will lead to cuts in the areas of public safety, higher education and services to the elderly.

TABOR would require all tax increase proposals be put to a vote of the people. It calls for tax rebates in strong revenues years.

Opponents argue that as a practical matter, Oklahoma already requires a public vote on tax increases under a constitutional amendment adopted in 1992.

David Blatt, director of public policy for the Tulsa-based Community Action Project, an anti-poverty group, said TABOR starves public services in such areas as health, higher education and transportation because their cost grows more rapidly than does the consumer price index.

"Moreover, in recent years, state government has been burdened with new expenses, such as those associated with homeland security and public health," Blatt said.

He said the proposal would prevent lawmakers from dealing with serious problems such as budget shortfalls now facing state prisons and the Oklahoma Centennial Commission.

Click here to read similar article by John Greiner of the Daily Oklahoman.