March 2005 Volume 12 Number 3

French Preschool Wrong for Oklahoma

March 01, 2005

The utopian allure of group care for small children is a recurring theme in human history. The most recent listener to this ancient sirens' song appears to be Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry. Returning from a November visit to France, he declared that he was "very impressed" by the French system of early childhood education, which features the universal enrollment of th... Read More >

TABOR Puts the Spenders on Defense

March 01, 2005

We need to stop and ask ourselves: Do the taxpayers exist for government, or does government exist for the taxpayers?" Minority Leader Mark Hillman threw out this challenge in his opening-day address to the Colorado Senate on January 12. An hour earlier Hillman had been Majority Leader. Just before he spoke, I had certified the 2004 election results and turned ove... Read More >

Hey, Big Spender!

March 01, 2005

It is disappointing to read Governor Henry's proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Remarkably, the governor wants to increase state government spending nearly 13 percent - from $5.36 billion to some $6.05 billion (which includes spending some of the excess from the Cash Reserve Fund; see page A-31 of the governor's budget book). Raise your hand if your pa... Read More >

Better Ideas on Higher Education Financing

March 01, 2005

;v. Brad Henry is proposing $500 million in higher education bonds which will be used to pay for 140 projects at colleges and universities in 36 communities. He proposes using lottery money to pay for the bonds. This plan is fiscally unwise. Rather than financing such a large and long-term bond issue with the lottery?s proceeds, we advocate a more sensible approach ? an ap... Read More >

The Higher Ed Bond Issue: It's Just More Money

March 01, 2005

Funds raised through higher education bond issues are often earmarked for things like new construction or renovation. But since money is fungible, one in fact does not know where the money goes. Earmarking money to build or repair classrooms or other facilities can be viewed as a marketing technique designed to deceive taxpayers and their elected representatives. ... Read More >

OCPA Picture Worth a Thousand Words

March 01, 2005

OCPA marketing director Brian Hobbs recently snapped a photo of four members of our board of trustees standing under the portico of our new headquarters. What's interesting about the picture is that it is candid. After posing for a ribbon-cutting picture for posterity, several trustees had stopped for a moment to discuss something, unaware that a picture commemoratin... Read More >

Quote Unquote

March 01, 2005

?My whole plan is to feed the private sector and starve the public sector.? ;v. Arnold Schwarzenegger, in a recent editorial board meeting of the Sacramento Bee ?Taxing and spending and treating taxpayers like cash cows and with utter contempt isn?t the way to grow this state. Oklahoma?s state ;vernment is bloated and its addiction to taxpayer dollars is hurting us. Passi... Read More >

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