OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, debated against House Bill 4071 which advanced off the House floor. The measure creates the Oklahoma Dream Accounts Investment Program at the State Treasurer’s Office. It authorizes the one-time allocation of $250 to children under the age of 18, with a valid Social Security number, who are residents of Oklahoma, and already have an established Trump Account to such accounts from the Oklahoma Trump Account Investment Fund (OTAIF), also created by the measure.
Through SB 1177, $12.5M in tax dollars were allocated to the OTAIF.
“I have many concerns about putting $12.5M of our taxpayer dollars into an account with no sure oversight or accountability,” said Leader Munson. “At a time when Oklahomans need financial relief, it is irresponsible to place millions of dollars into an account that they have no control over. We could invest $12.5M into Oklahoma’s children today by increasing childcare subsidies, providing free breakfast and lunch at every Oklahoma public school, or appropriating more dollars to our public schools to provide more support and resources in classrooms across our state.
“I also have concerns about the lack of certainty that money will be available for Oklahoma’s children by the time they turn 18. Neither the child nor parent have control over the investments, outside of making deposits. This account does not apply to every Oklahoma child. If the goal was to invest in the children of Oklahoma, we would find a responsible way to appropriate these taxpayer dollars to strengthen proven services and programs that help all children. Instead, this measure focuses on showcasing an allegiance to the politics in Washington D.C. that are not dedicated to delivering a reliable outcome for Oklahomans.”
