Coalition Launches Petition To Raise Oklahoma Sales Tax To Increase Education Funding.

The AP (10/22, Talley) reports “Oklahoma’s Children, Our Future”, a coalition of educators and civic leaders, filed a petition with the Oklahoma Secretary of State to initiate a “statewide vote on a new one-cent sales tax to fund public schools and give teachers a raise to address a chronic teacher shortage.” If the petition gets enough signatures, then a state constitutional amendment implementing the tax would be on the ballot in 2016. University of Oklahoma President David Boren, Oklahoma’s teacher of the year Shawn Sheehan, and others released statements in support of the petition. Boren said, “Enough is enough. We must invest in our children and grandchildren’s future if we want to succeed.” Sheehan said the number of teacher vacancies in the state has created a crisis.