Teacher pay raise and increasing "Instruction"

   The conservative legislator's way to provide $ thousands in pay raises for Oklahoma teachers is to re-direct existing tax dollars to public schools, without raising taxes! As outlined in a previous post/column, almost $1 billion, maybe more, is currently tied up by municipalities for Tax Increment Financing (TIF). Of that $1 billion, almost $500 million would have and still can go to our public schools - if only the State Legislature has the "intestinal fortitude" to abolish Oklahoma TIF! Tax Increment Financing began in California in 1945, as a way for its big cities to re-develop "blighted" areas. California used TIF to re-develop neighborhood slums by capturing property tax or sales tax to fund private developers' projects. TIF was never intended to be utilized for developing green zones in cities. A "green zone" by definition is not blighted, but only undeveloped areas. By 2012, California was experiencing state budget problems much like Oklahoma's 2010-2018 budget problems. Tied up in California TIF was $6 billion, which when abolished by Governor Jerry Brown (and followed up by the California Assembly) - sent $6 billion back to California State Service Agencies. The public schools' share was approximately $3 billion.
   In Oklahoma, TIF has also recently taken a turn in developing "green zones" - something TIF was never intended for. As a result, public schools could be receiving approximately $500 million they are entitled to - earmarked for Instruction, and without raising taxes. Public Schools in Oklahoma would all be spending more than 60% of their total expenditures for Instruction - if only a courageous Senator or Representative had the brains God gave a goose, and initiated the abolishment of Oklahoma TIF... We'll soon know...