State Sen. Brian Crain, R-Tulsa, issued the following statement Thursday:
“The budget agreement reached by both chambers called for using growth revenue to offset some of the revenues that would be returned to our citizens through a state income tax cut. At this point, with the 5 pm Friday deadline approaching, it seems doubtful we’ll see a tax cut this session. I understand that would leave about $25 million on the table. I believe the best use of those funds would be to put those dollars into education.
“As a fiscal conservative, I believe reducing the income tax would generate the kind of economic growth that would result in a larger tax base, meaning more people buying goods and services, purchasing homes, and thus providing more resources for education and other core services. But if no agreement is going to be reached, then let’s put those dollars into the classroom to benefit Oklahoma’s children.”