Fallin points the way to big change

AT the start of his presidency, Barack Obama declared the country needed “a new declaration of independence, not just in our nation, but in our own lives — from ideology and small thinking ..."

Since being elected governor the first time in 2010, Mary Fallin has demonstrated a laudable independence from ideology. To deal with budget shortfalls, she has signed into law roughly $700 million in tax increases, including income tax increases, car tax increases, and short-term tax increases on oil and gas exploration.

To further right the ship, Fallin in her final State of the State speech Monday endorsed $790 million in additional tax increases proposed by the Step Up Oklahoma coalition, an organization of interest groups and business leaders. The plan includes income tax increases, higher gasoline taxes, higher energy production taxes and increased tobacco taxes, among other things.

Fallin has rejected ideological rigidity and embraced pragmatic flexibility. She has joined with civic leaders embarrassed by negative national media stories who now advocate for a more consistent revenue stream. Citizens should not only accept but welcome this effort to preserve government services.

Opponents of Fallin and the Step Up coalition offer many ever-changing critiques. They complain of already struggling families who will face higher fuel bills. They note proposed income tax changes begin having impact for those earning $32,000 or more and households “with two or more children are likely to fare worst.” Some critics complain the plan preserves numerous business tax breaks they decry as corporate welfare.

Yet Step Up leaders spent many weeks designing this plan to ensure equitable distribution of tax increases to make them affordable while minimizing the negative impact to core segments of Oklahoma’s economy. Voters should defer to Step Up leaders’ collective wisdom.

The Step Up plan initially included several reforms. Some appear to have been set aside and others are reportedly being adjusted. No matter. The heart and soul of the plan remain.

After funding a $5,000 teacher pay raise and covering budget shortfalls, some complain the Fallin/Step Up plan provides only $367.7 million in new funding for all other government needs. Yet the Department of Corrections and the state school system alone have indicated they need nearly $1.5 billion in new funding, to say nothing of the state’s many human service entities and transportation system.

That’s fair. But as many Step Up coalition members have noted, this plan is only a first step.

As the first female presidential candidate of a major party, Hillary Clinton famously advocated a “simple but powerful idea: We believe that we are stronger together.” Fallin, Oklahoma’s first female governor, voiced a similar sentiment Monday. “What we do as a unified group of people elected by the citizens of our great state,” she said, “could be considered the moment in time that changed Oklahoma.”

Citizens ready to change Oklahoma will follow Fallin’s lead.