Saying he believes a controversial turnpike program offered by Governor Frank Keating will ultimately be revived, a state legislator is pushing forward with an interim legislative study of Oklahoma's existing toll road system and Keating's plans to expand it.

"I don't believe for a minute that we've seen the last of Governor Keating's toll roads," said Senator Bruce Price.

"Before we consider expansion of our current system, we need to focus on the OTA's existing debt. We need to pay it off so we can explore the possibility of someday making our toll roads free roads."

A new analysis by the Senate fiscal staff indicates that education would be the biggest loser if Governor Keating carries through with a plan to use additional motor vehicle revenues on transportation.

"Governor Keating has indicated if he doesn't get his new toll roads, he's going to go after money that has historically been earmarked for education," said Senator Kelly Haney, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

OKLAHOMA CITY -Calling it "one of the top five dumb vetoes of all time," a Senate budget leader is taking exception to Governor Keating's veto of funding for a prison infirmary.

"This is like mailing an engraved invitation to the federal courts, asking them to take over our prison system," said Senator Cal Hobson, Vice-chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. "I'm sure Lou Bullock is licking his chops because this veto plays right into his hands.

OKLAHOMA CITY -Several rural Oklahoma communities and the Quality Jobs Program took it on the chin when Governor Keating handed down his latest vetoes, and those actions will jeopardize the state's ongoing economic development efforts, according to a Senate budget leader.

Keating wiped out appropriations for the Central Oklahoma Economic Development District, the Kiamichi Economic Development District and the Eastern Oklahoma Economic Development District. The funding was specifically earmarked for "promoting economic and community development" in those rural areas.

OKLAHOMA CITY - Saying Governor Keating's recent actions indicate that he is out of step with the average Oklahoman, a Senate budget leader is asking the State Chief Executive to explain why his vetoes aren't representative of Oklahoma's conservative values.

"When you're breathing new life into death row inmates at the same time you're cutting funding for education, economic development and ethics, I'd say you're out of step with the rest of Oklahoma," said Senator Kelly Haney, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

OKLAHOMA CITY - Saying a "misinformation campaign of sorts" has been conducted in recent days, a Senate budget leader is setting the record straight on the fate of community corrections and truth-in-sentencing legislation, and is promising to continue his efforts to increase compensation for sheriffs who participate in some kind of alternative sentencing program.

OKLAHOMA CITY - Saying Governor Keating owes the parents of Oklahoma school children and teachers an explanation, a Senate education leader is asking the Governor to offer more specifics about his objections to a sweeping education reform bill.

"I think the people of Oklahoma have some legitimate questions about his veto," said Senator Don Williams, author of SB 1100, the education reform bill vetoed by Governor Keating on Friday. "A six or seven sentence veto message doesn't explain why he killed a major school reform measure."

OKLAHOMA CITY - A Senate budget leader is asking Governor Keating to explain why he vetoed a state employee severance package, noting that the Governor himself proposed and negotiated the final legislation, HB 2782.

"This was one of the main personnel reforms Governor Keating put forth in his executive budget. We worked closely with his advisers to make sure it was passed in the final days of the session. We gave him what he asked for and he vetoed it," said Senator Larry Dickerson, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government and Transportation.

OKLAHOMA CITY -Governor Keating's veto of SB 1100 not only killed a series of school reforms, it also wiped out some $6 million in education funding --the entire budget for mandated teacher training programs-- a Senate budget leader discovered today. Ironically, part of that money would have been used to finance "Great Expectations," a teacher training program championed by Governor Keating.

The veto could ultimately force teachers to dip into their own pockets to pay for required training courses.

OKLAHOMA CITY - An analysis by the Senate Fiscal Staff indicates that public education was the biggest casualty of Governor Keating's last minute veto spree this year, accounting for almost two-thirds of the funding vetoed by the State Chief Executive.

"I'd like to say the findings were unexpected, but in light of Governor Keating's consistently dismal track record on public education, I'm not surprised at all," said Senator Cal Hobson, Senate Appropriations Committee Vice-chairman, who requested the fiscal analysis.