Facing the "real" issues of the 2008 legislative session

OKLAHOMA CITY -- After all the players have left the stage, and the dust settles from this week's Shakesperian-type drama about who will become the next speaker of the House, the 149 members of the Oklahoma Legislature still have a great deal of work to do.

And they won't have much time to do it.

Issues such as slow economic growth, increased funding for the Departments of Corrections and Transportation, a pay increase for state employees and schoolteachers and the possibility of yet another tax decrease all haunt the Capitol like vengeful spirits.

Spirits which been around for a while.

Take for example, ethics legislation.

Oklahoma City Republican David Dank said his ethics proposal, introduced last year, would "remove the clouds" caused by political fundraising in Oklahoma.

"The Oklahoma Clean Campaign Act (will) assure that the process of raising money for political campaigns is open, honest and divorced from the legislative process," he said.

Last year, the bill didn't get very far.

But, this year, things could change.

"It wouldn't surprise me if we did something on ethics in the first week," said state Rep. Wallace Collins, D-Norman. "It's come up pretty big right now and it may be a pretty good segue into some type of legislation."

Lawmakers, Collins said, now have "a great opportunity" to pass stronger ethics legislation.

"If we don't do it right now, at this time, when will we?" Collins said.

Collins' prediction was echoed this week by the House's Democratic leader.

State Rep. Danny Morgan, D-Suphur, said House Democrats would make ethics legislation a priority this session.

"First and foremost, at the top of the list is ethics," Morgan said. "We need an ethically and fiscally sound government. We owe that to the voters of Oklahoma."

Ethics, Morgan said, "is the one thing that our members have heard about back home."

"We had a speaker under an ethics investigation," he said. "We have to make sure we have the trust of the public. Strong ethics legislation is a way to clean up the process and show the people of Oklahoma we are truly here for the right reasons."

But ethics won't be lawmakers' only challenge -- as usual, the state's budget will be the main topic of debate.

While financial experts say state revenue will grow by about $198 million right now, most of that money -- all but $32 million -- is already spoken for, officials with the state treasurer's office said.

"A good portion of that money is going to fund previous legislative commitments," said Tim Allen, Scott Meacham's deputy state treasurer. "But there could be additional money available sometime during session."

Those funds, Allen said, could be as high as $100 million.

And those funds could go quickly. Already, some lawmakers want to use a portion of that money to pay for another tax reduction.

The Senate's Republican leader -- Sen. Glenn Coffee -- told The Associated Press his long-term goal is to cut the income tax, now at 5.5 percent, to 3.5 percent or less.

"Tax rates higher than this serve as an impediment to job growth," he said.

Coffee favors legislation to make sure a previously approved income tax cut to 5.25 percent takes effect as scheduled. He has said tax cuts should be paid for through elimination of yet-to-be-determined tax credits and sales tax exemptions.

Tax cuts also are on the minds of some Democrats.

Sen. J. Paul Gumm, D-Durant, is pushing again to end the sales tax on groceries.

"With a sluggish economy, there is no better time to move this proposal forward to put real money back into the pockets of working and middle class families as soon as possible," Gumm said. "Not only will we directly help them, we give the Oklahoma economy an extra boost."

Lawmakers also want to raise the pay of state employees and bring teachers' pay in line with the regional average.

In a media release sent out this week, state Sen. Kenneth Corn, D-Poteau, announced he'd filed legislation to authorize a $2,700 pay raise for Oklahoma state employees. Corn said state employees provide valuable and indispensable work, and should be at the top of the list when state funds are dispersed.

"From those who care for our elderly and children to those who ensure the safety of our highways and police our prisons, state employees provide essential services around the clock for Oklahomans," he said. "Every segment of our society is touched by these dedicated workers, and it's time for us to take care of them."

Corn said the need for a state employee pay increase has been made even more essential as the Legislature has been under-funding various state agencies in recent years.

"Many state employees have had to perform the work of two or three people when a vacancy is left unfilled," he said.

And with more than 2,000 pieces of legislation filed and ready to be reviewed in a 90-day period, state legislators face three months of intense work.

The second session of the 51st Oklahoma Legislature begins Monday.