Oklahoma Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton Prioritizes Education and Ag Issues in New Legislative Session: As the new legislative session kicks off in Oklahoma, Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton is setting his sights on critical issues affecting both the state’s future and its agricultural backbone. In a recent conversation with Farm Director KC Sheperd, Paxton outlined his priorities, ranging from improving education outcomes to addressing the concerns of the state’s farmers and ranchers.
Top of mind for Paxton is Oklahoma’s standing in education. “It’s like every other leader in the state and most people in the state, we want to see that we can do things to make sure our education outcome, especially for our third-grade reading proficiency, vastly improves,” Paxton stated. He emphasized a collective desire to move away from the “bottom of the list” and take concrete steps toward improvement.
A key area of concern for the Pro Tem is the amount of time students spend in the classroom versus remote learning. Referencing recent weather-related school closures, Paxton expressed skepticism about the efficacy of virtual days. “My big push has been against the virtual or remote learning days. I just don’t think anything really happens as far as educating our kids,” he said. Highlighting the disparity in instructional time, he noted, “The US average is 180 [days]. The world average is over 200… It’s like three full weeks a year that they’re not getting to be in front of a teacher.”
Paxton, a rancher himself, also addressed the pressing concerns of the agricultural community, particularly regarding property taxes and ad valorem. He acknowledged the anxieties surrounding rising costs and hinted at legislative relief. “I think you’re going to see some things like maybe some reductions in how fast property can be revaluated,” he explained, suggesting a move to slow down valuation increases.
However, he warned of potential pitfalls in other proposed measures, specifically a state question that would remove property taxes from homesteaded homes. “That could be detrimental towards the ag community,” Paxton cautioned. “Farmers and businesses and oil and gas and renters are going to pick up the tab for every homeowner’s property taxes.”
Balancing the needs of rural producers with the funding requirements of rural schools remains a complex challenge. Paxton pointed to “responsible legislation” as the path forward, aiming to mitigate sharp tax hikes driven by factors such as federal lawsuits against school districts. He cited the situation in Ninnekah, where property owners faced a tax increase of over 70%, as a prime example of the issues the legislature hopes to address.
Despite the heavy legislative agenda, Paxton remains grounded in his agricultural roots. Reflecting on the recent cold snap and the grueling work of caring for livestock in freezing temperatures, he offered a message of solidarity to his fellow producers: “I feel their pain… I wouldn’t have any other lifestyle. I love what I do, but I will tell you when you’re out busting ice at sunup, it is you sometimes question what got me in this position.”
