SQ744 AKA HOPE AMENDMENT

[msbobbie]

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Changes to the Oklahoma Constitution can only be made by a vote of the people. There are two ways to make this happen.

The State Legislature passes a measure to allow the people of the State of Oklahoma to decide if the Constitution should be changed.

By citizen petition; where organizers and supporters for a change are required to collect signatures equal to 5% of the vote in the last general election within a specific time.

The H.O.P.E. Amendment, AKA SQ-744, is a citizen petition sponsored by OEA (Oklahoma Education Association) and having collected the required number of signatures in the required amount of time, will put this question on the 2010 General Election Ballot for the voters to decide if this increased spending on education should be written into the State Constitution.

The estimated cost of this program is between $850 million to $940 million PER YEAR, and there is no allowance in the amendment for how this increase will be funded.

If the voters approve SQ744 on the 2010 General Election ballot, it will go into effect on July 1, 2011 and the 2011 Legislature will be charged with finding the funding for it.

So far three suggestions have been made:

Increase income taxes 36%,

Increase sales taxes 38%

Cut funding to other agencies by 20%.

Cutting funding to State Agencies will also reduce federal matching funds where they apply. This would mean roads and bridges will not be built or repaired, thousands of prisoners would be released, several health services would be eliminated, fewer law enforcement officers, and seniors could be cut out of state care, are among many of the consequences.

In my last letter I shared information from the Bureau of Economic Analysis about Oklahoma’s bloated state government. What I did not share is that 76% of Oklahoma’s over employment problem and costs is in the Department of Education.

I should think if the Department of Education and the Teacher’s Union need more money they could adjust the budget they have and not expect more sacrifices from the taxpayers.

Too often the State Question section on our ballots is skipped over on Election Day. These questions are just as important to how we will be governed as are the candidates we elect to serve us. Please make an effort to become informed about them and share what you learn with others.

[msbobbie]

I have submitted the above letter to the editor of my local paper. I have not done justice to the atrocity of the bill, but there are word limits. Hopefully it will get people talking.

Excellent, excellent front page article in the latest issue of The Oklahoma Constitution about this P. O. S.

OCPA has published some troubling articles on the Department of Education's over employment and over budgeted nonsense.

http://tinyurl.com/yh5cwyw

http://tinyurl.com/yz4hsp7

http://tinyurl.com/y9mxudp

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