Step Up Oklahoma leaders maintain support for Lamb, Cornett campaigns

Top leaders of the Step Up Oklahoma coalition say they are sticking by their choices for governor even though the candidates haven’t embraced the group’s revenue and reform plan to raise teacher pay and plug the state’s budget hole.

J. Larry Nichols, chairman emeritus of Devon Energy Corp., and Allen Wright, vice president for public and government affairs at Devon, said they are still strongly supporting Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb, a Republican, for governor. Lamb said last week he would oppose any tax increases.

David Rainbolt, CEO of BancFirst, expressed continuing support for Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett, a Republican. Cornett did not rule out the revenue package outright but said Saturday that raising taxes wasn’t his first instinct.

Nichols, Wright and Rainbolt are key leaders in the coalition. All appeared at the Jan. 11 press conference in Oklahoma City unveiling the package, and Rainbolt was the leading spokesman.

Rainbolt is the treasurer of Cornett’s campaign. Nichols is the chairman of Lamb’s campaign.

Lamb had collected $49,200 through September from 21 members of Step Up Oklahoma, according to the most recent records available from the Oklahoma Ethics Commission. Cornett had collected $32,300 from 14 members of the coalition.

All the donations were made months before Step Up Oklahoma was formed. Step Up Oklahoma lists 84 members on its website, many of whom are regular donors to political campaigns.

In all, members of the group gave $91,750 to announced candidates for governor through September, with Lamb and Cornett getting the vast majority. Democrat Drew Edmondson received $5,700 from four Step Up Oklahoma members; Republican Kevin Stitt received $4,050 from two members; and Republican Gary Richardson received $500 from one member. Richardson and Stitt have come out against most of the plan.

The Step Up Oklahoma coalition of business and civic leaders developed a package of fiscal and political proposals for Republican Gov. Mary Fallin and the GOP-led Legislature to consider. Fallin last week called on lawmakers to take up the tax proposals in its ongoing special session.

Step Up Oklahoma’s revenue proposals would hike the state tax on cigarettes and little cigars by $1.50 a pack; raise the tax on oil and gas production; increase gasoline and diesel taxes; implement a tax on renewable energy; and modify Oklahoma income tax rates and deductions to affect mostly top earners.

The nearly $800 million raised by the package would fund a $5,000 annual pay raise for teachers and pay for core state services.

Asked about Cornett’s position, Rainbolt said Wednesday, “I understand that any conservative’s first instinct isn’t to raise taxes, but I do appreciate the mayor acknowledging that he respects business and community leaders pushing for solutions.

“Everyone that has worked with Mick Cornett on the vast number of projects undertaken in Oklahoma City over the past 14 years understands that he will always sit down and seek consensus on important issues. What he is not, is someone who will outright dismiss the ideas of citizens who care about the future of our state.”

Cornett spokesman Will Gattenby said, “Mick understands that we are all working toward the same thing — a better Oklahoma with better educational outcomes, higher teacher pay and a growing, more diversified economy. He looks forward to working with business and community leaders as governor, just as he has in Oklahoma City.”

Lamb expressed opposition to tax hikes before the Step Up Oklahoma proposal was developed.

Nichols, an early backer of Lamb, said Wednesday, “The group working on Step Up Oklahoma has focused exclusively on finding a plan that could be passed by the Oklahoma Legislature and signed by our current governor. We have not involved any of the candidates from either party in our efforts. I support Todd Lamb for governor and believe he is best suited to lead our state forward.”

Wright said he was an enthusiastic supporter of Lamb and was confident he was “the best person to make use of the important reforms of the Step Up plan to eliminate waste and improve our state.

“All gubernatorial candidates of both parties have disagreements with the Step Up plan. Each of them — if elected — and all Oklahomans will benefit by its passage.”

Keith Beall, Lamb’s campaign manager, said Lamb had spoken to Nichols and other Step Up Oklahoma leaders and “has communicated his support for some of the reforms such as a stabilization fund and an office of budget accountability and transparency.”

Beall said Lamb wasn’t concerned about being at odds with some of his biggest contributors.

“Todd Lamb knows not every supporter will agree with him on every issue, but at the end of the day, he believes Oklahomans will invest in a campaign where the candidate stands on beliefs, conviction and principles,” Beall said.