Quotes of the Day

My co-authored research suggests that cuts in individual income taxes lead to only slight increases in economic activity, yet produce a substantial net reduction in tax revenues. Governments can keep providing services to residents and businesses only if they increase other taxes to offset the losses from reduced personal income taxes. However, there is no clear evidence that other taxes are preferable to income taxes, or that cuts in spending can be achieved without harm to the economy.

-Dan Rickman, Regents Professor of Economics at Oklahoma State University (Source: http://bit.ly/1lWTQhE)

Increasing the minimum wage is win-win. On a human level, it is simply the right thing to do and demonstrates that we as a country respect the dignity of work. And the economics are unequivocal. Raising the minimum wage increases the take-home pay of low-wage workers, initiates an upward spiral for all wages, does not cause unemployment, and can actually create jobs by stimulating the economy.

-University of Tulsa economist Scott Carter (Source: http://bit.ly/1lVJyy6)

The problems with Medicaid are creating a perfect storm for the Health Care Authority, because at a time they have to operate on less money, they’re having to serve more and more people.

-Rep. Doug Cox, R-Grove, on the 5 percent ($47.7 million) reduction in appropriations for Oklahoma Health Care Authority proposed by Governor Fallin’s FY 2015 budget (source:http://bit.ly/1l3Hro5)

I think they have to address it, and she didn’t even talk about it. So, you know, it seems like they’re going to continue to ignore it and pretend that there isn’t an issue. I think it’s totally irresponsible and people keep saying nobody’s going to do anything around here until there is another riot or somebody gets killed, and I think, unfortunately, that’s probably true.

-Oklahoma Corrections Professionals President Sean Wallace, speaking about staffing shortages in Oklahoma’s prisons following Governor Mary Fallin’s State of the State Address (Source: http://bit.ly/1c6Hg5k)

Better planning encourages policymakers to take the long view, one that considers a state’s future workforce, population, and infrastructure needs. A state’s budget decisions today on services like education and infrastructure affect both the state and the nation for years to come.

-Elizabeth McNichol, senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and co-author of a report that found Oklahoma ranks worst in the nation for long-term budget planning (Source: http://bit.ly/1eRhqTC)

This budget will be very damaging to the future of our state if it is not modified in the weeks ahead. How can we afford another tax cut when we are already shortchanging the education of our children and grandchildren? Failure to adequately support higher education and all of education will discourage the creation of new jobs and investments in our state.

-University of Oklahoma President David Boren, responding to Governor Fallin’s proposal to cut taxes further while slashing higher education funding by nearly $50 million (Source: http://bit.ly/1gJa77s)

While Oklahoma’s public schools are performing as well or better than schools in other states that are comparably funded, that is like being proud of receiving the highest D in the class. In other words, Oklahoma students are “blowing the socks off” students from other states that are also in the bottom funding tier. That is not good enough for my children and grandchildren and it is not good enough for my neighbor’s children or grandchildren.

-Rep. David Perryman, D-Chickasha (Source: http://bit.ly/1eKVYjk)

For years, the Legislature has taken a tough-on-crime stance, adding felony after felony to the criminal code and applauding every time the state sentences another nonviolent offender to 20 years in prison. At the same time, our Legislature has also cut public safety funding and told corrections employees and Highway Patrol troopers they’d have to wait on pay raises, but they could apply for food stamps.

– Journal Record columnist M. Scott Carter (Source: http://bit.ly/1gxnYh2)

I think at this point it’s fiscally irresponsible. When you consider we’re funding public education at $200 million less than we were in 2008, when you consider the fact that our teachers haven’t had a pay raise since 2006 … I think it’s very irresponsible to talk about tax cuts at this time.

-Senate Minority Leader Sean Burrage, D-Claremore (Source: http://bit.ly/1ezNKKJ)

By taxing and regulating marijuana, we can take the lucrative market out of the hands of criminals and drug cartels and put it in the hands of tax-paying, law-abiding businesses. More importantly, we can stop arresting adults simply for using a substance less harmful than alcohol and focus our law enforcement resources on violent crimes and real threats to public safety.

-State Senator Constance Johnson, D-Oklahoma County (Source: http://bit.ly/1iamTsS)