Bills Opposed by OEA

Post date: Mar 4, 2010 2:14:02 AM

Tax Credit Vouchers: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

SB 1922 (Sen. Newberry) would divert public money for public schools to pay for private school tuitions. Tuition tax credits -- also known as tax credit vouchers -- are another threat to public schools. These plans grant dollar-for-dollar tax credits to individuals for the cost of sending their children to high-priced private schools and award corporations a dollar-for-dollar credit for monies they direct toward organizations that grant private-school tuition subsidies. Public education is already underfunded. We cannot afford to subsidize private schools. Oppose SB 1922.

HB 3108, Kern Targets OEA

HB 3108 authored by Sally Kern would prohibit some full-time release officers including OEA’s president and vice-president from making their own contributions (including BOTH the employee and employer contributions) to the Oklahoma Teachers Retirement System.

While full-time release officers are working alongside teachers to create great public schools for every child, they also help stabilize funding for OTRS by paying in thousands of dollars each year instead of retiring and not making a contribution to the system at all.

Active employees contribute six percent more to the retirement system than retirees draw out.  It is a net gain to the retirement system to permit contributions from active education employees.