Oklahoma Senate panel OKs teacher pay bill, but no funding

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Oklahoma teachers would receive their first pay increase in nine years under a bill approved by a Senate committee, despite concerns that lawmakers have yet to figure out how they’re going to pay for it.

A Senate budget subcommittee voted Wednesday for the bill that calls for a $1,000 pay raise for teachers next year, $2,000 the following year and $3,000 the third year. The bill now goes to the full Senate Appropriations Committee.

Each $1,000 pay raise costs the state about $53 million, and there is no agreement among Republican legislative leaders and the governor on how the plan would be funded. Among the ideas being discussed are increasing the fuel tax, expanding the sales tax, eliminating some tax subsidies and cutting agency budgets.