Representative Michelle McCane

D

District 72

Hi, I’m Michelle McCane and I represent the people of Oklahoma’s 72nd District.

representative

News & Announcements

Aug 28, 2025

McCane hosts public forum on education at Oklahoma Capitol

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Michelle McCane, D-Tulsa, hosted a public forum at the Oklahoma State Capitol to allow Oklahomans to voice their opinions and concerns regarding public education in Oklahoma. The forum occurred after the Oklahoma State Department of Education abruptly canceled their monthly meeting and featured members of the public who would have otherwise made public comments at the meeting. “I am so thrilled at the turn out of Oklahomans who came to the capitol to voice their thoughts and concerns with lawmakers on public education in Oklahoma,” said McCane. “I want to thank everyone who showed up and your effort to go out of your way to advocate for Oklahoma children does not go unnoticed. I urge Oklahomans to continue this conversation and to feel free to contact my office with any other questions or concerns on how to provide solutions to the problems taking place within our public education system. When Oklahomans bring their voices to the capitol, lawmakers can better represent them, and we can all do better when it comes to making positive change for a brighter future for public education in Oklahoma.” McCane will share comments and concerns brought up during the forum with every sitting member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the Oklahoma Senate to promote collaboration on solutions and strategies to improve Oklahoma Public Education. -END-

Jun 12, 2025

McCane named a Bill Lowry Library Champion by Oklahoma Library Association

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Michelle McCane, D-Tulsa, received a 2025 Oklahoma Library Association (OLA) Bill Lowry Library Champion Award. The award comes from the recommendation of the OLA Advocacy Committee of someone who strongly advocates for library services. “I am honored and humbled to be named a Bill Lowry Library Champion by the Oklahoma Library Association!” McCane said. “As a former school librarian, and a lifelong library kid, this one hits close to home. Libraries, whether in our neighborhoods or inside our schools, are essential. They’re where our kids find knowledge, safety, imagination, and truth. “I’m proud to stand with Oklahoma School Librarians (OKSL) and OLA to push for policies that ensure every child has access to strong, well-staffed school libraries and thriving public branches. This award isn’t just for me—it’s for every educator, every librarian, and every student who knows that stories change lives. Let’s keep fighting for the future our communities deserve.” McCane’s dedication to public education and commitment to students earned her Teacher of the Year honors at McLain High School (2020-2021) and Traice Academy (2023-2024). She has also received additional accolades for her exceptional impact on student outcomes and her steadfast advocacy for public education. -END-

May 20, 2025

House Democratic members oppose state budget, tax cut for leaving thousands of Oklahomans behind

OKLAHOMA CITY – Several Oklahoma House Democratic Members rose to debate against HB 2766, the general appropriations bill for FY-2026, and HB 2764, which provides a quarter-percent cut to the personal income tax rate. Arguments against both bills pointed to a lack of prioritizing everyday Oklahomans, setting the state up for potential financial challenges with the income tax cut, and lack of preparations for looming cuts to funding by the federal government. "This budget does not reflect the true needs of everyday Oklahomans," said House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City. "We had an opportunity to provide targeted tax relief to those who need it most while protecting our revenue base. Instead, Republican legislative leaders put the Governor's priority of decimating our revenue base and putting core functions of government at risk before meeting those needs. We continue to be last on the list for education and healthcare—two of the most important components of building a strong economy—and this budget does nothing to address either in a real way. By prioritizing flat agency budgets and an income tax cut that helps the wealthiest Oklahomans, we continue to kick the can down the road to truly move our state forward. We can do better, and we should." Rep. Trish Ranson, D-Stillwater, said this budget could do more to help Oklahomans. “Tying the budget to an income tax cut is a hard ‘no’ for me,” Ranson said. “I believe we could do so much more for Oklahomans. Restricting our revenue when we are already a poor revenue state, is not planning for the future–it’s not even planning for today. Agency budgets were held flat, which means this budget was built for the past.” Rep. Michelle McCane, D-Tulsa, said an income tax cut disproportionately benefits the wealthiest Oklahomans. “On paper, an income tax cut might sound good—but in reality, it overwhelmingly benefits those making over $100,000 a year,” McCane said. “The median household income in our state is under $65,000. Most families won’t see meaningful relief, but they will feel the consequences—a decrease in essential state services, crumbling infrastructure, and overburdened healthcare systems. And let’s be honest: we’re staring down unknown federal budget cuts and navigating a virtual fun house of shifting tariff policies that could hit our farmers and small businesses hard. This is not the time for reckless revenue cuts. We need tax policy that’s smart, stable, and centered on everyday Oklahomans—not giveaways for the wealthiest few.” Rep. Ellen Pogemiller, D-Oklahoma City, said the budget chooses tax cuts over Oklahoma communities. “Let’s be clear: companies and families won’t choose to move to Oklahoma because it’s the cheapest option—they will move here because of our infrastructure, our educated workforce and the resources which are at risk due to a trigger tax cut,” Pogemiller said. “This month alone, two child care centers in my district shut their doors. Instead of raising subsidies to reflect the actual cost of care, we handed out tax cuts worth just $11.91 a month for the median income earner in our state. Meanwhile, critical federal funding for programs like SNAP and Medicaid are under threat. Rather than planning for the long-term sustainability of these lifelines, we chose tax cuts over our communities.” -END-