Obscenely High Salaries Paid by Oklahoma Tax Payers

Bryn wrote on our facebook page but the emphasis is ours:

"1) The Governor of Oklahoma makes a salary of $140,000 annually.  While that's $25,000 a year lower than her congressional salary, it still ranks as the 16th highest salary of a governor in the U.S.  For a state with a population under four million people, that is consistently ranked in the bottom 10 of everything including education, why are we paying more for governors who haven't done a damn thing to put Oklahoma on the map for something GOOD except sports teams?!

2) Secondly, the OU Daily ran an article earlier this month about David Boren's salary and compensation as president of OU.  It tops the national average for college presidents.   

OU Daily (February 25, 2011) has an article "President David Boren’s total pay much higher than reported" to cover addition compensation Boren receives from serving on corporate boards, etc.  

Being the cost of education is out of control, and pursuing a college degree can mean years of debt to pay off loans, how do you justify such a salary?  Boren makes almost as much money as Harvard's president.  Harvard is a private university that has been at the top of everybody's 'best list' for about as long as it's been in existence.

Why does a man with no children, a free home and lots of money need to have his ego continually stroked by the hard earned dollars of Oklahoma's hoi polloi?

3) OU Football Coach Bob Stoops is the highest paid college football coach in America according to Education in Review.  After his 10 year anniversary as coach in 2008, he received a $3 million one-time payment.  

•Bob Stoops – University of Oklahoma $4,303,000
•Urban Meyer – University of Florida $4,000,000
•Nick Saban – University of Alabama $3,900,000
•Les Miles – Louisiana State University $3,751,000
•Jim Tressel – Ohio State University $3,722,000
•Mark Richt – University of Georgia $3,096,576
•Mack Brown – University of Texas $3,060,500
•Kirk Ferentz – University of Iowa $3,024,500
•Bobby Petrino – University of Arkansas $2,858,000
•Jeff Tedford – University of California $2,807,500

I rest my case.  There's a lot of fat in the Oklahoma budget that can be cut.  But we can't afford to take care of infrastructure, have quality schools, or provide healthcare while these people live like princes and princesses in a state with one of the Nation's lowest costs of living?"

Bryn makes a good point.  I love OU and I love football but everyone needs to make sacrifices in this troubling economy right?  Why is it we only ask the middle class to make "sacrifices" and not the rich.  I love David Boren - a hell of a lot more than Dan Boren by the way, but this is excessive.  Similarly Bob Stoops is Oklahoma's rock star but my tax dollars pay his salary and as long as I'm having to make sacrifices ... so can he.

Mary Fallin Brags about Tax Cuts While Oklahoma is Bankrupt

Stay classy Mary.  Seems this kind of reckless Washington Spending didn't stop with your Congressional days and has now made it all the way back to our great state.  Mmmm that tasty $500 million budget short fall is best served with a little tax cut for the rich on the side.

“Change is hard at times, but hopefully they’ll all be able to come to the table and work something out,” she added.

Mary Fallin ran on a campaign of hope and change in Oklahoma.  We were too fiscally responsible before.  We didn't spend enough the way the TARP bailout did!  We need to be more like Washington not less.  More bailouts for everyone!  We'll just call them "tax cuts" instead... or "business incentives."

Gov Mary Fallin Spends Tax Payer Money to Talk About Her Reckless Fiscal Spending

Gov. Mary Fallin is headed to Washington to chill with the President again and talk to her peers - other GOP Gov’s about her amazing success in spending and spending and spending all of Oklahoma’s money while not providing anything to her people.
Via News OK:

“Gov. Mary Fallin will be telling her peers this weekend about her efforts to reduce a $500 million budget shortfall by agency cuts and consolidations and making the state more efficient by sharing services… . .”

Several lines below that

“She said she will boast that Oklahoma officials this week voted to cut the state’s top personal income tax rate from 5.5 percent to 5.25 percent at a time other states are raising taxes.

She has proposed a number of cuts and cost-saving measures to deal with having $500 million less to spend in the $6.2 billion budget for the 2012 fiscal year, which begins July 1… .”

This reminds me a lot of spreading the wealth around only… she’s robbing from the not so rich to give to her buddies the CEO’s.  Go Mary Go!

No word yet on how much this trip to DC will cost the tax payers to fly her, her security detail, her husband, or Coffee to DC and put them up.  It’s unclear if this “fiscal responsibility” will be paid for by you and me or if it will come out of her recruiting businesses to come to Oklahoma fund.

Mary Fallin Opposes Big Government By Asking for Federal Bailout

Classy……
Remember that one time we opposed the federal government because we needed them out of our lives?  Well Governor Mary Fallin was testifying to her flock just the other day that

“The backlog of transportation needs in Oklahoma is large and requires a consistent, long-term federal investment strategy,” Fallin told the committee in a meeting at the Oklahoma City Community College.

Gee maybe you weren’t giving hand outs to rich people we could afford to fix our own damn problems instead of relying on the federal government to come bail us out.

Another FallinFail: Tulsa World - Budget Hole Doesn't Prevent Income Tax Rate Cut

I think this title should be changed to Budget Hoe Doesn’t Prevent Income Tax Rate Cut… but that’s just me.
Told you so…. (emphasis below is mine)

“Gov. Mary Fallin, whose budget calls for agency cuts of up to 5 percent in fiscal 2012, argues that reduction of the tax rate yet again is a logical extension of the message taxpayers sent in the November election. She claims that the mandated reduction will stimulate the economy and make the state more business friendly and more competitive with other states. Will this income tax cut do something that the previous ones haven’t?

Come on.

Are businesses seriously going to look at this state and say, “Oklahoma, what an economic Garden of Eden?” and overlook the fact that the quality of life here is eroding by the day?

Oklahoma’s state services are woefully underfunded. The education system is being starved. Roads and infrastructure are mediocre and in many cases are crumbling. The health and welfare of Oklahoma’s citizens don’t appear to be a high priority for those holding the purse strings.

But, hey, never mind all that, the fatter cats get this great reduced tax rate of 5.25 percent. “

See… It’s what I’ve been saying.  The most important part of this piece is:

“The state has suffered enormous revenue losses and gone through a series of tax cuts over the past several years. It’s also gone through some staggering cutbacks in state services, and faces a yawning budget hole of at least $500 million in the next fiscal year.”

Dr Phil would say “If you always do what you’ve always done… you’ll always be where you always are….”  If the state has consistently cut taxes… and cut services and spending for things like education, roads, and other such things fall asunder our question must then be - at what point do you finally think about changing course?  Honestly, does Governor Fallin intend to run the state into the ground before she finally admits that her republican “Cut and Spend” policy is not only reckless and irresponsible failing to make Oklahoma the bastion of business that everyone claims it will be?

FallinFail Tip:  Cut and Spend doesn’t work.

Massive OK Budget Shortfall Triggers Tax Cuts

Nothing says “We have no money” like a good old fashioned tax cut!
Seems the great state of Oklahoma has a trigger for some income tax cuts for FY 2012.

A state board approved cutting the state’s income tax rate Tuesday after approving healthier tax collection estimates for the upcoming fiscal year.

The action reduces the state’s top individual income tax rate from 5.5 percent to 5.25. The lower rate takes effect Jan. 1.

Wow - what a genius idea!!  When we don’t have any money, and we’re cutting jobs and services by 3-5% statewide the best way to combat this $500 million short fall is to…. wait for it….. cut taxes.  This is exactly how we should solve our problems. 
Golly gee - I’m sure glad we elected someone as smart as Mary Fallin.  She sure is brilliant.

Gov. Mary Fallin to Propose Cuts; Backdoor Spending

Cuts for us - spending for her.

MIDWEST CITY, Okla. (AP) — Gov. Mary Fallin said Friday a proposed state budget she will present to legislators next week will include budget cuts for every state agency.

At the same time a fund will be set up that Fallin or Lt. Governor Todd Lamb could use to woo businesses to Oklahoma.  This same fund was declared unconstitutional by the State Supreme Court to the previous Governor Brad Henry but Governor Mary Fallin doesn’t care she wants her money to play with!  And boy howdy she better get it otherwise Oklahoma will fall apart!  We need to be able to buy businesses stake dinners and hookers so they’ll relocate here.  Maybe if we also passed Right to Work businesses would come here too.  Oh…. wait….. how’d that work out again?

Gov. Mary Fallin Stands up to Obama By Asking for Money

OBAMA SUCKS!  Down with the federal government!  They are too involved in our lives and they need a strong governor who will stand up to them and tell them how it’s going to be.  HA!  Take THAT!  That’s why we elected Mary Fallin because

“I think voters want a governor who sees the world like they do and who will stand up to Washington. I am ready to be that governor.”
….
 ”I am the only candidate in this race who is fundamentally conservative and who is willing and able to stand up to the Obama Administration…”

Oh… wait…. before we do that could we maybe have some money, please?  Thanks!  That’s so nice of you… NOW GO TO HELL!!!

“OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Gov. Mary Fallin is asking the White House for an emergency disaster declaration for Oklahoma in the wake of a massive winter storm that dumped up to 20 inches of snow, ice and sleet on the state.

Fallin said Wednesday that she is asking for the disaster declaration for all 77 Oklahoma counties.”

Yeah, so maybe that evil federal government isn’t so bad after all, huh?

Mary Fallin Skips Vote That would Support the Poor & Middle Class

Via Politico

As the White House and congressional leaders negotiated over extending the Bush era tax cuts, the House Thursday voted to extend the majority of them, continuing tax rates for lower- and middle-income Americans. …..Twelve members didn’t vote, including two lawmakers who just won statewide races: incoming Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin…

So… right… ya do a photo-op for a canned food drive to feed the hungry, but you are too busy with Obama at the White House to hail a cab and drive the two miles to the Capitol, run in, and cast a vote to put money in the very people’s pockets that would use the canned food??

I’m so confused….. Wonder if the Tulsa World still thinks she cares about the poor…