Boren delivers signatures for education sales tax plan

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – University of Oklahoma President David Boren was flanked by teachers, students and other education supporters as he helped deliver more than 300,000 signatures of Oklahoma voters in support of placing a penny sales tax on the November ballot.

Boren and supporters of the tax increase for public education delivered the signatures Thursday to the Secretary of State’s office.

The group had until mid-May to gather the roughly 123,000 signatures needed to place the proposal on the ballot, but supporters say they gathered close to 308,000 in just two months.

If approved, the tax would generate about $615 million annually with about 70 percent designated for a $5,000 pay raise for Oklahoma teachers.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Jeff Hickman says lawmakers are discussing an alternative teacher pay proposal for voters to consider.