Weekly Opinion Editorial
OKLAHOMA’S BUDGET WOES CONTINUE!
by Steve
Fair
Oklahoma’s budget woes continue and in the
last week, a number of events occurred. On
Monday February 12th, the Oklahoma House voted on the Step Up
Oklahoma proposal. A $581 million dollar
package of proposed tax hikes, if passed, it would have been the biggest tax
increase in Oklahoma history. Passage
required a 75% margin of victory, but Step Up fell 13 votes short and was
defeated 63-35. 53 of the 72 Republicans
in the State House voted for the bill and 10 of the 28 Democrats.
Before the vote, The Oklahoman reported that Sooner Poll had
found 69% of likely voters supported the Step Up plan, which includes a $5,000
annual pay raise for teachers. Step Up
Oklahoma commissioned the poll. Bear in
mind those polled were read the following statement before being polled: Keep in mind that our state budget is still
$100 million short and teachers have not been given an increase in pay since
2008 and the state is losing teachers to other states because teacher pay is
the lowest in the region. This type of polling is known as ‘push polling,’
and results in skewed responses. Honest
polling would likely not result in approval for the largest tax increase in
Oklahoma history.
After the vote a Republican lawmaker
called fellow legislators that voted against the increases, ‘the swamp,’ and
called for them to draw primary opponents. There
was a time when Republicans fought against tax hikes, stood for limited
government and refrained from attacking fellow Republicans, but that day has
ended. Name calling of fellow
legislators- no matter what political Party- is inappropriate, unprofessional,
and counterproductive. The offending legislator should publicly apologize.
On Friday, the 28 House
Democrats held a press conference announcing as a caucus they support State
Auditor Gary Jones’ plan to increase gross production tax to 5%, add 75 cents
tax to cigarettes and increase tax on gas by 3 cents and on diesel by 6 cents. Jones, who is running for the GOP nomination
for governor, was able to do something Republican
legislative leaders and the governor haven’t been able to do- get the Democrats to support a plan that may give them
past the 75% threshold required by SQ #640.
It remains to be seen if Jones’ proposal makes it to the House floor. Also on Friday, ten
Republican House members and former U.S. Senator Tom Coburn issued a press
release saying they support performance audits on every state agency. They claim state government has a great deal
of ‘bloat and mission creep.’ They also contend the recent increase in the
price of oil has resulted in a stronger than expected revenue stream into state
government and the proposed tax increases are unnecessary at this time.
Two
points: First, a state can’t tax itself to prosperity. Fostering a business friendly environment that
promotes growth for existing businesses and relocation for new ones will lead
to prosperity and take state government with it. Second, if these tax increases are supported
by 2/3 of Oklahomans, then send them to a vote of the people. A simple majority is all that is required to
raise taxes via state question
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