POINT OF VIEW: EDUCATION A KEY TO STATE'S FUTURE

GIVEN the state's dire financial and economic status, it's time to make some
realistic decisions about what we need to brighten Oklahoma's future.

In spite of our excellent cost of living, working and doing business,
Oklahoma didn't capitalize on the economic boom of the 1990s. There have
been countless studies that charted the course for growth, and virtually
every one failed. Forbes magazine published its list of the "Best Places for
Business and Careers" ranking cities based on incomes, job growth, business
costs, the qualifications of their labor pools and the concentration of
college graduates and Ph.D.s.

The top 10, in order: Austin, Texas; Boise, Idaho; Raleigh- Durham, N.C.;
Atlanta; Madison, Wis; Provo, Utah; Omaha, Neb.; Des Moines, Iowa; Dallas;
and Washington, D.C.-Northern Virginia.

Overall, Oklahoma City ranked 18th and Tulsa 35th, but even better is the
fact that they ranked first and third, respectively, in "cost of doing
business." You would think our economy would be growing in leaps and bounds.
The problem is we don't fare nearly as well in educational attainment --
77th for Oklahoma City and 90th for Tulsa.

Seven of the 10 are middle markets with strong education systems. Austin is
cited for the University of Texas' ability to generate "a fresh crop of
college grads and Ph.D.'s" that provide employees for Dell, Motorola and
IBM. Raleigh-Durham's Research Triangle, fed by Duke, the University of
North Carolina and North Carolina State, has "one of the highest
concentrations of college grads and Ph.D.'s in the country." Provo is a
"magnet for much of Utah's high-tech activity, fueled in part by the
presence of Brigham Young University." Madison is noted for the University
of Wisconsin, which has "the highest concentration of Ph.D.s in America --
an irresistible draw for companies interested in drug development services
and stem-cell research."

Atlanta has led the nation in housing construction for 11 straight years --
and is "host to 14 companies in the Forbes 500, behind New York, Houston and
Chicago." Omaha is praised for having "high income growth and some of the
lowest business costs around." In spite of the oil-patch roller coaster,
Dallas "remains a bedrock of Southwest strength for a range of financial
services." Even with Washington, D.C.'s highest business costs of the top 10
metro areas (6 percent above the national average), it has a "highly
educated labor supply (42 percent have college degrees)."

In the small-city category, Lawton ranked 64th and Enid 94th. They were
fifth and 10th in cost of doing business but only 99th and 92nd,
respectively, on educational attainment.

Given Oklahoma's current financial hardships and the cuts that are occurring
in education, our state may well squander the economic advantages that
should be so attractive to businesses. Without well-funded public schools,
well-paid teachers and a vibrant system of higher education generating
thousands of highly educated undergraduate and graduate students, Oklahoma's
economic advantages will continue to be ignored by the most successful and
fastest growing segments of the business community.

Without that vibrant business community our children will continue to move
away in pursuit of careers. The only way to stop the brain drain is for
elected officials to reallocate state resources to better fund education.
This year's legislative session raided the Rainy Day Fund and diverted
millions from retirement programs. The real, long-term solutions will
require cutting well-intentioned but unaffordable programs, such as the
marriage initiative and state lodges, and raising gas and diesel taxes now
- -- not over five years.

Likewise, the only real growth industry in Oklahoma has been its prison
system. Every dollar spent on prison is a dollar that can't be spent on
education. Prisons should be for those who have committed serious crimes.
Stupidity isn't a crime and not every drug offense is worthy of prison --
but both could be positively impacted by more education.

Forbes magazine has told America that Oklahoma is a great place to live,
work and do business but not such a great place when it comes to education.
If we dramatically improve our education system, those who graduate from it
will have better jobs that pay higher wages and provide better benefits. If
we help OU, OSU, UCO, OCU, TU, OBU and the other public and private Oklahoma
colleges and universities seeking to be first rate, the business community
will migrate here to take advantage of the other benefits of life in
Oklahoma.

Over the last decade Henry Bellmon, David Boren, George Kaiser, Ron Norick,
Cliff Hudson and others have shown innovative leadership that paid dividends
that helped Forbes rank Oklahoma City and Tulsa great places to live, work
and do business. It's time for more great leadership.

Orza is chairman and chief executive of Eateries Inc., and a former
gubernatorial candidate, educator and television anchor.