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OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Emboldened by continued domination at the ballot box, Oklahoma Republican legislative leaders are set to meet to hammer out details of their agenda for 2015 and are finding consensus already for increased funding for public schools and more scrutiny of state tax credits.
House Republicans, who maintained their 72-29 advantage over Democrats this month, plan to meet Sunday and Monday with Gov. Mary Fallin and Superintendent-elect Joy Hofmeister at the Chickasaw Retreat and Cultural Center in Sulphur.
"We'll spend a lot of time talking budget," said House Speaker Jeff Hickman, R-Fairview, whose caucus includes 14 new Republicans elected in November. "These members have just come off the doorsteps. They've had conversations with their constituents, and I'm sure they'll have some ideas they'll want to contribute."
Besides discussion about the hundreds of millions of dollars in various tax credits and incentives, Hickman said he expects a focus on education policy and funding, and public safety and criminal justice.
Both Fallin and Hofmeister said on the campaign trail they supported a pay hike for Oklahoma teachers, but a $2,500 across-the-board boost in salary that was proposed by the State Board of Education last month would come with a price tag of about $213 million annually.
"If indeed members want to do a teacher pay raise, and if we're looking at a flat budget year, then where are we going to cut?" Hickman said. "We can all wish for a lot of different things, but if there's no money to pay for it, it's just a wish list."
Fallin is meeting with legislators and her policy advisers and hasn't formalized her agenda for 2015, said spokesman Michael McNutt. But among the ideas she proposed on the campaign trail were pay raises for teachers and having a budget-only legislative session every other year.
Republicans likely would find support among Democrats on some policy issues, especially increased funding for education and teacher pay hikes, but the minority party could find itself marginalized with Republicans holding supermajorities in both chambers.
Senate Republicans, who picked up four seats in November and now hold a 40-8 majority, held their caucus retreat last week at the Devon Boathouse in Oklahoma City. Although finding consensus among that many Republicans will be a challenge, GOP Caucus Chairman Sen. Bryce Marlatt said funding for public schools has emerged as a priority.
"It's really something we need to address — both funding and the number of state-mandated tests," said Marlatt, R-Woodward. "We need to make sure our teachers are able to teach."
Sen. Rick Brinkley, vice chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said he also expects a movement to address ineffective tax credits.
"People don't mind programs that have a great net benefit to the state and its economy," said Brinkley, R-Owasso. "However, those programs that appear to simply be subsidizing an industry or providing incentives to projects that would have occurred even if the incentive did not exist are seen as a waste of taxpayer dollars."
Brinkley said he also expects legislation that would subject proposed tax incentives to a greater cost-benefit analysis before being presented to legislators for consideration.
The 2015 legislative session begins Feb. 2.
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