A new national study that gave Oklahoma high marks for teacher quality while raising concerns about the low pay of public school instructors should send a clear message to state policy makers, according to the leader of the Oklahoma State Senate.

The message, according to Senator Stratton Taylor, is that Oklahoma needs to raise teacher pay this year.

Statement by Senator Stratton Taylor
Senate President Pro Tempore

"This sounds like another one of the Governor's smoke and mirror pay programs. It looks like all talk with no money included.

"Squeezing money out of school administrators certainly sounds like a good idea on the surface, but when you realize that school lunches, janitors, school bus drivers, security officers and school counselors are also classified as administration, the idea starts to lose some of its luster.

Federal railroad legislation now before the U.S. Congress could help Oklahoma beef up its passenger rail service, but only if the State Legislature gives Oklahoma voters an opportunity to decide if additional state revenue should be raised for Amtrak.

That according to Senator Dave Herbert, who is pushing for a statewide vote on a proposed one-cent gasoline tax increase, with the proceeds earmarked for rail service expansion.

Statement by Senator Stratton Taylor, Senate President Pro Tempore

"The fact that Governor Keating has resorted to dragging the tax increase bogeyman out of the closet tells me that we've struck a nerve and demonstrated once again that he is no friend of public education."

"The Governor is obviously upset that we've exposed his smoke and mirrors pay program for what it is -a cheap attempt to pander to teachers without actually giving them a dime of new money. He's trying to pull the wool over teachers' eyes and he's just mad because we're calling him on it."

"Last week we witnessed another glowing example of the politics of disinformation and misdirection from state Democrats. This time the spokesman was Representative Russ Roach (D-Tulsa). Attempting to draw citizen focus away from the real issue, the fact that Oklahoma's individual auto tag fees are too high, he attacked the low cost of farm, tractor and trailer tag fees. He also took it upon himself to dismiss these fees that have been studied and established by previous legislatures, in essence calling past legislature's work superfluous."

Statement by Senator Stratton Taylor
Senate President Pro Tempore

"I think there's a very simple explanation behind all of the Governor's recent media statements. He's come forward with a smoke and mirrors teacher pay raise program that contains no real money and he's upset because we've exposed it for what it is. I know Governor Keating would prefer that I sit on the sidelines while his media circus rolls by, but I
don't intend to do that."

Statement by Senator Stratton Taylor
Senate President Pro Tempore

"I don't think the Legislature has any business telling people when they can and cannot come to the State Capitol. They're taxpayers, they own the building and they can come whenever they like."

"As Democrats, we welcome citizens to come to the Capitol any day."

"If the teachers are interested in visiting the State Capitol on a Saturday, we will certainly do everything we can to accommodate them. However, that is their decision to make, not the Legislature's."

Oklahoma City - The Oklahoma State Senate Republican caucus today called upon the Democrat Senate leadership and the President Pro Tempore's office to schedule Saturday, February 12, 2000, as a legislative session work day for the Oklahoma Senate. "Many of Oklahoma's teachers would like the opportunity to present their views on the current status of funding for common education in Oklahoma and the impact of the current pay structure for their profession. read more.

Citing reports that low salaries are forcing many Oklahoma teachers to leave the state for better-paying jobs elsewhere, legislative leaders unveiled a program today that would give every public school teacher a $3,000 pay raise.

Senate President Pro Tempore Stratton Taylor and House Speaker Loyd Benson said the across-the-board teacher pay plan will be the Legislature's first order of business when lawmakers return for their annual session on February 7th.

State Senator Kevin Easley is asking Governor Keating to identify a mystery CEO who reportedly told the state chief executive that Oklahoma college graduates aren't making the grade when it comes to job skills.

During an interview on KRMG Radio in Tulsa last week, the Governor recounted a recent conversation with a person he identified only as a "CEO of a Fortune 500 company." According to Governor Keating, the CEO told him that the majority of Oklahoma college graduates could not pass the employment test required to work for his company.