The strong willingness to stand up for personal convictions by thousands of rural Oklahomans contributed to the defeat of State Question 744, claimed Mike Spradling, Oklahoma Farm Bureau president.
Passage of State Question 744 would have forced the state of Oklahoma to increase educational spending by an estimated $1.7 billion, much of it coming from possible increases in property taxes.
“Our people got out and fought against this issue beginning as early as last spring,” Spradling said. “We knew it was going to be a long, uphill battle as early polling showed the majority of voters supported the issue. But, once Oklahomans were presented both sides of the issue, it was evident SQ 744 was not right for Oklahoma nor was the timing right for such a question.”
Oklahoma Farm Bureau was one of the lead organizations contributing to the One Oklahoma Coalition, established to fight the state question.
“Throughout rural Oklahoma you saw signs asking voters to defeat the state question,” Spradling said. “Those signs, along with numerous meetings and conversations with neighbors were key to our victory on this issue.”
