Keating says he's on 'good government crusade

Monday, February 7th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Saying he is on "a good government crusade," Gov. Frank Keating drew boos from union members on Monday as he rehashed an agenda of right to work, tax cuts, education changes and a workers' compensation overhaul. About a dozen Democrats were absent during the speech for various reasons and one walked out during it.

Some House members had said they would boycott the talk because of the Republican governor's recent comments about Democrats and teachers. Keating again called for lower income, estate and motor vehicle taxes. There were no surprises in his non-thematic, 52-minute talk, which was interrupted 32 times by applause. Keating had earlier outlined a $5.2 billion budget that called for spending $100 million on teacher pay raises, $42 million extra on Medicaid and $40 million more on colleges and universities. He wants a $500 million bond issue for capital building projects and roads and proposes to spend all of the $116 million available from the national tobacco settlement.

On taxes, Keating wants to cut the state income tax by a quarter percent as part of a five-year period to reduce the tax by 18 percent. He proposed cutting auto tag costs by $66 million and aligning the state estate tax with the federal exemption.

Members of the AFL-CIO expressed their disdain as the Republican governor, in his sixth State of the State speech, declared: "We need the right to vote on right to work right now and it should be on the November ballot." To the chorus of boos from the gallery, Keating said, "I can see my friends are back."

On education, Keating spoke against watering down tougher curriculum requirements adopted a year ago for high schools, and said increasing the number of college graduates is vital to the state's prosperity. "This is the opportunity to address the remainder and finish the course," he said. "This is not a moral crusade, it's a good government crusade." He again proposed $2,000, merit-based pay increases for teachers. He also said he would sign a $3,000 pay raise plan advanced by Democrats.

Keating spoke from notes and did not refer directly to the recent criticism he has received from Democrats and teachers groups. But he called for "a bipartisan" approach to the state's problems.

House Speaker Loyd Benson, D-Frederick, called it a "harsh"speech. "We're going to look at the governor's program," Benson said. "We're going to give it serious consideration. We're going to be optimistic about the legislative session." Rep. Larry Adair, House speaker pro tempore and the man in line to succeed Benson next year, said he had "hoped the governor would be a little kinder, a little gentler in his remarks."

On workers' compensation, Keating again called for an administrative system instead of a judicial one, and read letters from executives of companies complaining of high workers' compensation costs.

Some House Democrats left the chamber after the attendance roll call and planned to listen to the speech from their offices. They were upset over Keating's partisan talk at Oral Roberts University last week when he said Democrats legislators need to "get religion." During the same talk, Keating replied jokingly that "homicide" was a way to deal with the state teachers' union. He later apologized for that remark.

At a rally Monday morning on the south steps of the Capitol, Oklahoma AFL-CIO president Jim Curry called on Keating to resign. Keating made no mention of the "homicide" remark on Monday, but introduced from the audience Ron Holuby, science teacher at Fort Gibson Middle School, who is credited with stopping a shooting spree by a teen-ager that left four wounded. He said Holuby "faced a problem head-on at great personal risk. Can we do any less?"

Keating also introduced Mitsuye Conover, Oklahoma teacher of they ear, Doug Sanders, Rhodes Scholar from the University of Oklahoma and OU President David Boren. Rep. Ron Kirby, D-Lawton, left the chamber as Keating criticized his auto tag bill of a year ago, which Keating vetoed. This time, Keating is calling for "a real" cut that will benefit all vehicle owners. Keating called for cost savings through cutting administrative costs of school districts. He said he was not talking about consolidation of schools, but Oklahoma "doesn't need all those white shirts in the superintendent's office."

Keating insisted that the changes he advocates are needed if the state is to improve its low ranking in per capita income. "We are too good to be so poor," he said. "We are too talented."