Rep. Cody Maynard
Now that we are in the final month of the legislative session, we are focusing on finalizing the budget and education plan.
I had hoped to give an update on education this week; however, we are still negotiating a plan that will benefit every student in the state of Oklahoma. The House wants to see increased funding for every public school district and pay raises for teachers signed into law this year. However, we want to avoid seeing legislation that favors urban or suburban areas of the state while our rural schools are hurting.
We cannot all seem to agree on a plan. I believe it is time for Republicans to come together and find a compromise plan between the House, Senate and governor. We are all Republicans and are on the same team.
The hold-up on education is delaying us from being able to finalize the state budget due to the large size of the plan we are discussing. The worst thing we could do is walk out of session with a flat budget because we couldn’t agree. We are close to having a 20 percent inflation increase in the past three years, and we must adjust our education budget accordingly. However, I remain hopeful for a positive outcome that will benefit everyone in our state.
In other news, I want to remind everyone that the Oklahoma Broadband Office is hosting a statewide listening tour. The “Let’s Get Digital: Oklahoma Broadband Tour” is visiting communities across Oklahoma to gather public input on local internet needs. The feedback will be used to develop a five-year plan for Oklahoma to connect the entire state better.
I encourage everyone to attend these meetings to share their perspective. We must express our community’s needs to ensure we all have access to affordable and reliable internet services.
The public is encouraged to register at oklahoma.gov/broadband/outreach for any of the stops on the tour. The tour will stop in Durant on May 23 from 4-8 p.m. at the Donald W. Reynolds Community Center, located 1515 W. Main in Durant.
Again, thank you for electing me to serve District 21. It is truly an honor and privilege to represent you at the State Capitol. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any concerns at 405-557-7366 or cody.maynard@okhouse.gov.