“I believe we need to be talking about a $10,000 raise, because we let this fester so long, because we are so far behind, and because it will take years to implement,” Holt said. “Not many private businesses would go a decade without providing even a cost-of-living increase.”

Holt said the state needs to start looking ahead instead of playing catch-up.

The subcommittee also passed Senate Bill 8 by Sen. Ron Sharp, R-Shawnee, that would add $5,000 to the minimum teacher salary schedule and apply to CareerTech as well.

Sharp said he filed the measure in response to the failure of State Question 779 that would have increased the sales tax to pay for a $5,000 teacher pay raise. Sharp said the measure’s failure was an indication that voters wanted the Legislature to fix the problem of low teacher pay.

The subcommittee passed Senate Bill 137, by Sen. J.J. Dossett, D-Owasso, which would give a $5,000 teacher pay raise immediately and then a $500 a year raise for each of the next 10 years.

Dossett said voters might have agreed that a pay raise was needed but disagreed with increasing the sales tax to pay for it.

The panel also passed Senate Bill 618, by Sen. Gary Stanislawski, R-Tulsa, which calls for a $3,000 teacher pay raise.

Stanislawski said the raise would be funded by raising the tax on diesel and gasoline. The proposed increases are contained in another bill, he said.

Barbara Hoberock 405-528-2465 barbara.hoberock@tulsaworld.com Twitter: @bhoberock

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.