GOP Leaders Urge Caution After Henry's Speech

While encouraged by the governor's embrace of some Republican proposals and a new spirit of bipartisanship, House and Senate GOP leaders urged caution after the governor laid out his plans to spend hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars in his State of the State speech Monday.

"We appreciate Governor Henry's call for bipartisanship, but we are very concerned by the total level of new spending he has proposed. This governor has proposed mortgaging our children's future with hundreds of millions of dollars in new spending and borrowing. We must proceed cautiously when considering these proposals in the upcoming legislative session," stated Senate Co-President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee (R-Oklahoma City).

Both Coffee and Speaker Lance Cargill (R-Harrah) said they were encouraged the governor had embraced a Republican plan for a public Website ensuring spending accountability for all state agencies. And they said both GOP caucuses share a commitment to increase teacher pay to the regional average. But both leaders said they were disappointed the governor said nothing in his speech Monday about immigration reform, tax relief or lawsuit reform -- all key parts of the Republican agenda this year.

Cargill and Coffee said they would proceed with caution as they examined the governor's executive budget. They said the governor's tobacco tax and lottery are seeing shortfalls at the same time the governor is proposing an expansion of spending. And they said the governor is trying to make up for the lottery's $40million shortfall by proposing long-term bond issues that would cover the cost of school operating expenses for only one year.

Cargill pointed out that the governor's proposed $200 million in bonds for the Opportunity Fund was an "eyebrow raiser."

"I just hope that the governor isn't biting off more than the taxpayers can chew," said Cargill.

On the issue of the state's prisons, House Republicans are proposing a top-to-bottom audit of the Department of Corrections to break the cycle of supplemental spending. Meanwhile, Coffee said Republicans support innovative solutions such as drug courts, but not at the expense of public safety.

Cargill and Coffee said another point of concern was the governor's plan to earmark the state income tax to pay for the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program, though the governor notably did not mention the plan specifics in his address Monday. "Fundamentally, it's just wrong to tie spending to a tax that is so harmful," said Cargill. "OHLAP is a wonderful program and deserves our support. The governor's plan does not appear to be the best way to support the program."

Coffee said Republicans also have concerns about the governor's push to expand "Insure Oklahoma."

"Insure Oklahoma has had a dubious track record and a shaky funding source," said Coffee, pointing to shortfalls from the governor's tobacco tax. "I have serious concerns about investing more of the taxpayers' money in the program." As of December, only 1,394 in 72 of the state's 77 counties were enrolled in Insure Oklahoma.

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