Oh, I'm quite moderate by Oklahoma standards. That may make me a vile liberal by other standards, but considering we are the reddest state in the union I am sure others would view me as quite conservative. I really do love Oklahoma, but our collective inability to solve our persistent, some might say cultural, budget issues infuriates me. The current administration is so nonsensical that even my aunt, who is far right even by Oklahoma standards hates how inept they are.
So why is it that our state is so dependent on oil and gas revenues? We passed right to work, that was supposed to bring in other kinds of industries. We are a very business friendly state, why aren't businesses flocking here? We have two decently-sized metropolitan areas located on major highways and byways. Why are businesses staying in those darn blue/purple states, and not beating down Oklahoma's doors? One answer could be that those states that attract and hold onto businesses have a better infrastructure and education systems than Oklahoma. (That you need taxes to fund)
The issue is that Oklahoma leaders have constantly and consistently cut taxes. Even in the bad times they cut taxes. Even though we are and have been a "poor" state. They were only collecting 1% tax on the oil retrieved through frakking. No other state that fraks collects only 1% on that oil. It's like some African country or banana republic here allowing the taking of natural resources for very little gain. Of course when the governor's husband works as an attorney(with the oil and gas industry) it's easy to see how some of this plays out.
It's not a "liberal bias" to see that the current ineptitude of our state leaders has led to a giant budget shortfall. $250 million to "update" the capitol, $220 million cut to education. While running a $1.3 billion dollar shortfall. So what's more important, smaller class sizes or a reflecting pool, better roads and bridges or a new portico? Funding the police and highway patrol, or new congressional office spaces?
http://kfor.com/2016/03/27/construction-to-begin-on-oklahoma-capitol-repair-renovation/
http://okpolicy.org/severe-education-funding-cuts-threaten-oklahomas-economic-future/
We already spend less than 48 other states on education, so it's not some vast liberal conspiracy to engorge the education budget. Oklahoma's education budget has been constantly cut since '08 even though most other states that had to cut during the worst of the crisis have gone back and funded their public schools again. There has never been a time during my 44 years of life that Oklahoma has been out of the bottom 10 for education spending.
Our roads and bridges consistently rank among the worst in the country, and after many years of driving through most other states I can concur that Oklahoma roads are pretty poor.
What needs to happen is for Oklahoma leadership to step up and vote that any changes to taxes must be re-authorized every year. Good year, keep the tax cut; bad year, don't re-authorize the cuts for that year.
I will again say that ranking Oklahoma 10th is laughable by any measure. OH, except for the measure ALEC uses to rank states, and that's by how many ALEC bills they manage to pass into law.
