Questions posed by the Chickasha Express-Star and Dr. Crow's answers to them:
1. You have proposed a "tourniquet tax" which, like a tourniquet, would only be used during emergencies to lessen the financial impact of a crisis. What circumstances do you think would warrant such a tax?
Oil and gas play an important part in the economy of Oklahoma, and as long as our tax system is so dependent on such volatile commodities, budget crises like the one we currently face will be a reoccurring reality. And as History demonstrates, crises are not conducive environments for fostering sound decisions. Some, out of desperation or for unsound ideological reasons, will advocate slashing expenditures for necessary infrastructures or essential services. Others will attempt to implement new permanent taxes that may hamper future economic growth in this state. The tourniquet tax is designed to prevent future budget crises that result from falling oil prices. The tourniquet tax is not designed to create additional revenue, but to stabilize revenue so that Oklahomans will not have to face another budget crisis in the future like the current one we face. When oil prices are low (and the budget faces a shortfall) gas taxes on fuel would be raised slightly to offset losses from falling taxes on oil revenue. When oil prices rise (and state revenues improve) the tax would fall off. Should the price of oil rise dramatically in the future, it would even be possible to reduce the current 30 cents a gallon gas tax that Oklahomans now pay.
Since this “Tourniquet Tax” must include a provision that would trigger automatic removals of the tax as oil prices stabilized, the “single-subject” rule would mean that it would never have a chance of seeing the light of day as either a legislative act or a legislatively referred constitutional amendment. However, since the “single-subject” rule could be construed as applying only to legislative acts and legislatively referred constitutional amendments (see Article V, Section 57 and Article XXIV, Section 1 of the Oklahoma Constitution), this “Tourniquet Tax” could become reality as a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment.
2. As an educator yourself, what do you think is the key to Oklahoma retaining teachers?
As your state senator I would pursue four policies that would promote the retention of quality teachers in this state.
First, I understand the importance of teachers having as much autonomy as possible in the classroom. If micromanaging every little detail is bad in the world of business, then why do we think it would work in the classroom? Therefore, I will work to keep useless and time consuming testing, as well as onerous mandates out of the classroom. I will fight to return power to parents, local school boards, and teachers.
Second, realizing that our teachers have already made many sacrifices throughout their careers, I will fight any attempts to “borrow against” the pensions of our teachers. I will consistently and aggressively oppose any attempt to transfer funds from the Oklahoma Teacher Retirement System for any reason other than their intended purpose.
Third, I will support measures that will encourage keeping the number of students in a classroom to a manageable level.
Fourth, I support finding ways of increasing teacher pay in this state. However, I will not be misled by attempts to mask other expenditures under the guise of raising teacher pay. Raising teacher pay must be a priority and teacher salaries must not be held hostage by those who wish to attach appropriations for other pet projects to legislation providing for increases in teacher pay.
3. What is the most important step that can be taken to mitigate Oklahoma's school budget crisis.
Before making any across the board cuts to Education or any other function of government, we should instruct the State Auditor to conduct performance audits of all major state agencies and institutions. Only after such audits are conducted will legislators have a better idea concerning where cuts should and should not be made. In difficult economic times like these, I am reluctant to increase taxes on working families struggling to make ends meet. That said, I believe there are ways to collect revenues that are more stable and efficient than those that we currently employ. While I believe that we as Americans have very little to learn from other countries when it comes to defending our God-given rights, I do believe that we can learn from a few others how to collect revenues in a more stable, efficient and fair manner. For example, when it comes to funding our local schools, county and municipal governments, Oklahomans might wish to consider adopting a model similar (bureaucratically speaking, though not necessarily using the same forms of taxation) as that used by the Germans to finance their states (Bundesland) and municipalities (Gemeinden). This model would give more power to local school districts, as well as county and municipal governments, in determining how tax revenue collected by the state is spent. It would also be a much more efficient system and save the taxpayers of Oklahoma money.
4. What sets you apart from other Republicans?
For many politicians of all shades, the acquisition of property (stuff) is an end in itself. For me, private property is a necessary foundation for liberty because it provides a means to care for myself and my family and gives me some degree of independence from the whims of others. But for me the acquisition of stuff is not an end in itself. Therefore, I sacrificed my own wealth by withdrawing all of the contributions that I have made to my Roth IRA throughout my career in order to finance my campaign so that I do not have to be beholden to any special interests once I am elected. Similarly, in order to serve the people of this district better, once I am elected, I will give up a career that I have spent all of my adult life building in order to serve you full time as your state senator. In order to make ends meet, I will sell my house, downsize, and move into a trailer or manufactured home. Such sacrifice is not in keeping with most contemporary Republicans (or Democrats for that matter), but it was the path taken by many of our Founding Fathers who pledged their lives, property and sacred honor in the defense of liberty. I for one feel much more at peace following in the footsteps of Washington and Jefferson than I would following in the footsteps of Clinton or Trump.
5. What is your stance on gun control?
The Second Amendment is very clear “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.” As an elected officer of the State of Oklahoma I will be true to my oath to “support, obey and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Oklahoma.”