The Majority Floor Leader in the House says it’s still possible to avoid a teacher walkout next month.
State Representative Jon Echols points to current revenue solutions including Capital Gains Tax Restorations, Ball and Dice Gaming and a cap on itemized deductions.
He says currently everyone has a plan, but do they have the 76 votes to pass out of the House.
Jon Echols: “Individual members who are you know ‘my plan’ that’s fine as long as you are still flexible, because anyone that has a hard line stance is part of the problem, not part of the solution. And, that includes the Democratic caucus, my caucus, the House and the Senate”
The Oklahoma City Republican says the high court ruling on an initiative petition to increase gross production taxes to seven percent for teacher raises is great because it lets the people decide.
Echols says in the meantime, lawmakers can raise the G-P-T to four or four and a half percent for an immediate raise.
Teachers say they plan to walkout on April Second if lawmakers don’t pass an education budget to include pay raises.