Rep. Joe Dorman: He said that the state needs to ensure schools are as safe as possible. "After what we saw in May, it's a reminder that no one is safe in Oklahoma unless you have storm shelters in place."
OKLAHOMA CITY - Supporters of a ballot measure calling for a $500 million bond state issue for school storm shelters and security improvements plan to file the required initiative petition paperwork on Wednesday.
The action comes after a tornado earlier this year killed seven students at Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore.
"After what we saw in May, it is a reminder that no one is safe in Oklahoma unless you have storm shelters in place," Rep. Joe Dorman said Friday.
If the state is going to mandate that kids be in school, it needs to ensure that they are as safe as possible, said Dorman, D-Rush Springs.
He said whether or not shelters will be installed will be left up to local officials, who will be required to come up with some form of matching funds.
Dorman said the debt on the $500 million bond would be paid for by redirecting proceeds of the state franchise tax.
Supporters will have 90 days after filing with the Secretary of State to obtain the more than 155,000 signatures that will be needed to get the issue on the ballot, Dorman said.
Once the signatures are collected and verified, Gov. Mary Fallin would set an election date.
Volunteers will be used to collect signatures, Dorman said.
"I fully expect a lot of school teachers and parents to be collecting signatures at football games," he said.
Supporters expect to launch a website and a Facebook page to alert voters to times and locations where signatures are to be collected, Dorman said.
Kathy Turner, retired Fletcher Public Schools superintendent, has been tapped to run the committee supporting the ballot measure.
"When I was school superintendent, the most difficult days were those days that we really had to monitor the weather," she said.
Dorman has used his House email account and the House media office to discuss the initiative petition drive, which may be a violation of either state ethics rules or state law, said Dave Weston, Oklahoma GOP chairman.
No one questions the good intentions of the subject matter, Weston said.
But Weston called the use of House resources very questionable.
Weston said he thought an initiative petition was to be funded by those supporting it and not by the state.
State law prohibits elected officials from using public funds to support or oppose "any measure which is being referred to a vote of the people by means of the initiative or referendum, or which citizens of this state are attempting to have referred to a vote of the people by initiative or referendum."
Dorman said he does not believe that he has violated state law or ethics rules.
"We have filed nothing yet," Dorman said. "My problem with the whole thing is if the Speaker of the House would allow this bill to be heard, then we would not have to go through a petition."
Dorman tried to introduce legislation during the most recent regular session and during the most recent special session.
He said once the petition is filed, state resources can't be used to promote any effort.
"If I have inadvertently violated any provision of the law in discussing this, I certainly apologize for that," Dorman said.
Barbara Hoberock 405-528-2465
barbara.hoberock@tulsaworld.com
Original Print Headline: Petition planned for school storm shelters
CapitolBureau
Parker has served the past seven years on the regents board.
All the state-by-state comparisons were made using inflation-adjusted dollar amounts and primary form of state aid to local schools.
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