OKLAHOMA CITY — A bill which would allow college students to “lock in” their tuition rate at state colleges and universities is getting a lukewarm response from a Norman area lawmaker.
State Rep. Bill Nations said he is supportive of House Bill 2103’s concept of “locking in” tuition prices, but there’s an “if.”
And, that “if,” the Norman Democrat said, is a pretty big one.
“I’m all for it, if … if the Legislature will do what they need to do to fund higher education.”
That means, he said, “all those brave legislators who want to do the politically convenient thing of locking tuition will have to find the courage to fund higher education from the general revenue fund.”
Under House Bill 2103, the state would create a locked-in tuition rate for in-state college students. Beginning in the 2008-2009 school year, the measure would require all public higher education institutions in Oklahoma to offer in-state students the option to participate in a guaranteed tuition rate plan.
The plan would lock in tuition rates accessed the student’s freshman year for four continuous years.
However, the bill would still allow the state’s colleges and universities to raise tuition and fees no higher than the regional average.
“This is a win-win proposal,” the bill’s author, state Rep. Lee Denney said. Denney, a Cushing Republican, said the measure would keep more students in state.
“This will help to slow our state’s brain drain, because we’ll encourage more Oklahoma students to stay in our state to get their college degree,” he said. “And we’ll help families plan ahead for the financial impact of college expenses.”
Nations disagreed, saying that locking in tuition costs won’t make that much difference.
“Oklahoma is already the cheapest place they (students) can go to school,” he said. “Where are they going to find it any cheaper?”
Oklahoma students don’t go to out-of-state colleges and universities because of cost. “If they are going out-of-state, it’s for other reasons,” he said.
And while Nations said the state’s colleges and universities “need to be congratulated” for having done a better job than the rest of the nation at controlling costs, the “bigger issue” is adequate state funding.
“You can’t operate any activity — prisons, CareerTech, common education, public safety, transportation — with inadequate funding. And you can’t operate our higher ed system with inadequate funding. The reason tuition increases in America are out of control is state legislatures will not come to the table with adequate funding from their general revenue funds.”
The problem is not just an Oklahoma issue, “but a United States of America problem.”
With a vote of 26 to 20, HB 2103 squeaked through the state Senate and now returns of the House for consideration.
“No one likes tuition and fee increases,” Nations said. “But higher ed only has two funding sources — tuition and fees and state appropriations. This isn’t rocket science, it’s not brain surgery. My biggest concern is when the funding question comes before the Legislature — I’m afraid they’ll lose their courage.”
Friday, May 18, 2007
State revenue up, Meacham says
OKLAHOMA CITY — For the third year in a row, Oklahoma will deposit millions into its constitutional “rainy day” fund, a spokesman for the state treasurer said last week.
Tim Allen, deputy state treasurer, said increased tax collections will allow the state to “fill the rainy day fund to the constitutional maximum.”
Officials expect that deposit “to be about $76 million,” he said.
The fund currently has a balance of $495.7 million. A $75.9 million deposit would push the fund’s balance to $571.6, and increase the cap level on the fund.
The increase follows news that state revenue collections — for the first 10 months of the fiscal year — show close to a $200 million surplus. Those collections, Allen said, exceed last year’s by almost 5 percent and are more than 4 percent above previous revenue estimates made this year.
Those numbers are good news, State Treasurer Scott Meacham said.
“We are on track to finish the fiscal year in two months with a healthy surplus,” Meacham said. “We will be able to once again fill the Rainy Day Fund to the constitutional maximum and have revenues above the Rainy Day Fund cap for the third consecutive year.”
Preliminary reports show General Revenue Fund collections year-to-date are $4.91 billion. Those amounts are:
• $228.2 million or 4.9 percent above the prior year; and
• $199.3 million or 4.2 percent above the estimate of $4.713 million.
Additionally, Allen said year-to-date, net income taxes have produced $2.32 billion — a $129.6 million or 5.9 percent increase over the prior year.
Of that figure, personal income tax has generated $1.95 billion in revenue — which is $40.8 million below the prior year — while corporate income tax collections have produced $369.3 million, about $170.5 million above the prior year.
“It’s good news,” Allen said. “The revenue increase is really being driven by corporate income tax collections; they are running 154 percent above the estimate. Oklahoma businesses have had a good year.”
Overall, state revenue has continue to flex up and down, including:
• State sales tax, which has produced $1.27 billion so far — a $63.1 million increase over last year.
• Gross production tax on oil and natural gas, which has yielded $505.3 million for the first 10 months of the fiscal year — $87.8 below the prior year.
• Motor vehicle taxes — $207.8 million, about $19.6 million or 10.4 percent above the prior year.
For the first 10 months of the fiscal year, the treasurer’s investments generated $119.9 million; “...that’s $48.3 million above the previous year.” Allen said.
However, not all the news was good.
For the month of April, collections were slightly below 2006. General Revenue Fund collections for the month totaled $678.2 million, about $9.8 million below the pervious year.
Tim Allen, deputy state treasurer, said increased tax collections will allow the state to “fill the rainy day fund to the constitutional maximum.”
Officials expect that deposit “to be about $76 million,” he said.
The fund currently has a balance of $495.7 million. A $75.9 million deposit would push the fund’s balance to $571.6, and increase the cap level on the fund.
The increase follows news that state revenue collections — for the first 10 months of the fiscal year — show close to a $200 million surplus. Those collections, Allen said, exceed last year’s by almost 5 percent and are more than 4 percent above previous revenue estimates made this year.
Those numbers are good news, State Treasurer Scott Meacham said.
“We are on track to finish the fiscal year in two months with a healthy surplus,” Meacham said. “We will be able to once again fill the Rainy Day Fund to the constitutional maximum and have revenues above the Rainy Day Fund cap for the third consecutive year.”
Preliminary reports show General Revenue Fund collections year-to-date are $4.91 billion. Those amounts are:
• $228.2 million or 4.9 percent above the prior year; and
• $199.3 million or 4.2 percent above the estimate of $4.713 million.
Additionally, Allen said year-to-date, net income taxes have produced $2.32 billion — a $129.6 million or 5.9 percent increase over the prior year.
Of that figure, personal income tax has generated $1.95 billion in revenue — which is $40.8 million below the prior year — while corporate income tax collections have produced $369.3 million, about $170.5 million above the prior year.
“It’s good news,” Allen said. “The revenue increase is really being driven by corporate income tax collections; they are running 154 percent above the estimate. Oklahoma businesses have had a good year.”
Overall, state revenue has continue to flex up and down, including:
• State sales tax, which has produced $1.27 billion so far — a $63.1 million increase over last year.
• Gross production tax on oil and natural gas, which has yielded $505.3 million for the first 10 months of the fiscal year — $87.8 below the prior year.
• Motor vehicle taxes — $207.8 million, about $19.6 million or 10.4 percent above the prior year.
For the first 10 months of the fiscal year, the treasurer’s investments generated $119.9 million; “...that’s $48.3 million above the previous year.” Allen said.
However, not all the news was good.
For the month of April, collections were slightly below 2006. General Revenue Fund collections for the month totaled $678.2 million, about $9.8 million below the pervious year.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
COMMENTARY: Yes, I'll help pack Dr. Hedberg's bags...
So Oklahoma surgeon Dr. Peter S. Hedberg is upset.
Real, real upset.
So upset, it seems, that he wrote a letter to members of the Oklahoma Legislature.
Doctor Hedberg is frosted because some state lawmakers voted against a bill which conservatives say would curb malpractice insurance rates.
He’s also mad at Governor Henry for vetoing the same bill.
And now, he’s gone on record saying that he will not treat legislators “who voted against a bill.”
In fact, the good (and I use that term loosely) doctor suggested that lawmakers who voted against the bill go to Texas for surgical procedures.
Doctor Hedberg also said he would no longer serve as Doctor of the Day for the Legislature.
“This might give them a sense of what it is like not to have easy access to care,” he said in a story from the Associated Press.
Amazing.
I guess that point of being a doctor — that helping the sick thing — got lost somewhere in the shuffle.
And I guess Dr. Hedberg is a one-issue doctor.
For example:
• I’m sure he didn’t whine about the millions in tax dollars which were used to help fund the University of Arizona medical school, where he got his degree.
• And I don’t believe I remember him raising hell about the ever increasing federal Medicaid tax that he, as a member of the medical community, is often paid from.
• He’s not bitched or moaned about state taxes which provide him roads, police protection, and even clean water.
• He’s not said anything about our poverty rate.
• Nor has he mentioned the thousands of Oklahoma children who don’t have access to quality health care.
No, it’s all about him.
Somehow this physician — who can afford to make gifts from between $10,000 to $25,000 to the American College of Surgeons — has it in his head we’re supposed to be concerned if he doesn’t make several hundred thousands of dollars each year.
Like many involved in the political process our Dr. Hedberg seems to think demonizing a single group will encourage the rest of us to act.
He’s wrong.
Dr. Hedberg’s little tantrum is pathetic.
“I could move to Texas very easily,” he told the AP. “They are building a nice new hospital across the river. I could commute.” He was referring to a hospital in Denison, Texas, about 20 miles south of Durant.
Then, go, Doctor, go.
Pack your bags, fill the car up with $3 gas and hit the road.
Threatening not to treat people and encouraging other doctors to withhold medical care shows the rest of Oklahoma just what a selfish, uncaring physician you truly are.
In fact, Dr. Hedberg set his sites on state Senator Jay Paul Gumm, a Democrat from Durant.
Now, in the past, I’ve scolded Senator Gumm in print for his tax policy. And often, I don’t agree with him on his votes.
But he didn’t deserve this.
If Dr. Hedberg wants to keep his malpractice rates low, he should focus his future tirades on the medical insurance community. Or better yet, work to make sure that all Oklahoma surgeons are well educated and trained — making the need for malpractice insurance unnecessary.
Instead, he’d rather throw a fit.
So, here’s to you, Dr. Hedberg.
Please do us a favor and move to Texas.
Oh yeah, don’t let the “leaving Oklahoma” sign hit you in the tail as you motor away, and write if you get work.
Just shut up and go.
Real, real upset.
So upset, it seems, that he wrote a letter to members of the Oklahoma Legislature.
Doctor Hedberg is frosted because some state lawmakers voted against a bill which conservatives say would curb malpractice insurance rates.
He’s also mad at Governor Henry for vetoing the same bill.
And now, he’s gone on record saying that he will not treat legislators “who voted against a bill.”
In fact, the good (and I use that term loosely) doctor suggested that lawmakers who voted against the bill go to Texas for surgical procedures.
Doctor Hedberg also said he would no longer serve as Doctor of the Day for the Legislature.
“This might give them a sense of what it is like not to have easy access to care,” he said in a story from the Associated Press.
Amazing.
I guess that point of being a doctor — that helping the sick thing — got lost somewhere in the shuffle.
And I guess Dr. Hedberg is a one-issue doctor.
For example:
• I’m sure he didn’t whine about the millions in tax dollars which were used to help fund the University of Arizona medical school, where he got his degree.
• And I don’t believe I remember him raising hell about the ever increasing federal Medicaid tax that he, as a member of the medical community, is often paid from.
• He’s not bitched or moaned about state taxes which provide him roads, police protection, and even clean water.
• He’s not said anything about our poverty rate.
• Nor has he mentioned the thousands of Oklahoma children who don’t have access to quality health care.
No, it’s all about him.
Somehow this physician — who can afford to make gifts from between $10,000 to $25,000 to the American College of Surgeons — has it in his head we’re supposed to be concerned if he doesn’t make several hundred thousands of dollars each year.
Like many involved in the political process our Dr. Hedberg seems to think demonizing a single group will encourage the rest of us to act.
He’s wrong.
Dr. Hedberg’s little tantrum is pathetic.
“I could move to Texas very easily,” he told the AP. “They are building a nice new hospital across the river. I could commute.” He was referring to a hospital in Denison, Texas, about 20 miles south of Durant.
Then, go, Doctor, go.
Pack your bags, fill the car up with $3 gas and hit the road.
Threatening not to treat people and encouraging other doctors to withhold medical care shows the rest of Oklahoma just what a selfish, uncaring physician you truly are.
In fact, Dr. Hedberg set his sites on state Senator Jay Paul Gumm, a Democrat from Durant.
Now, in the past, I’ve scolded Senator Gumm in print for his tax policy. And often, I don’t agree with him on his votes.
But he didn’t deserve this.
If Dr. Hedberg wants to keep his malpractice rates low, he should focus his future tirades on the medical insurance community. Or better yet, work to make sure that all Oklahoma surgeons are well educated and trained — making the need for malpractice insurance unnecessary.
Instead, he’d rather throw a fit.
So, here’s to you, Dr. Hedberg.
Please do us a favor and move to Texas.
Oh yeah, don’t let the “leaving Oklahoma” sign hit you in the tail as you motor away, and write if you get work.
Just shut up and go.
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