Bad Bills Part 10: Carving Out An Industry Exemption From Normal Taxation

HB 2429 is another gross production tax decrease that allows another four years of reduced taxes from oil and gas wells.

Even though it reduces the amount of tax the state gets the measure was estimated to bring in an additional $95 million dollars.

Here is a bill that was chosen for scoring the RINO Index,
& why this bill is bad for the average Oklahoman.

However, the language in that estimate was extremely sparse, as if they were reluctant to discuss the matter and the less said the less to hang them with later. In the end it was an extension of the huge gross production tax decreases passed by Democrats years ago and kept in place by the Republicans thanks to profuse campaign donations. Oklahoma is unique among the surrounding states as we have a gross production rate that is 3.5 times cheaper, money that used to go toward education and other government expenses and programs.

Bad Bills Part 9: Taxing The Exterminators

HB 2392 increases the annual fee for pesticide permits, removes the state departments from their exemption from paying for the permits (out of one pocket into another) and adds an additional $100 late fee. This is an additional $0.8 million dollars out of Oklahoma pockets.

Here is a bill that was chosen for scoring the RINO Index,
& why this bill is bad for the average Oklahoman.

These fees don't make pesticide use safer, they just bring in money for the state to spend on the department charging the fee. All it does is increase the size of government.

Bad Bills Part 8: More Long Term Debt

HB 2387 creates new state debt, $45 million dollars in bonds, for the Office of Juvenile affairs.

Many millions of dollars will be paid out in bond sale fees and high interest rates, mainly to people that borrowed long term at a few percent interest and turn around and quadruple that in a safe investment to the state.

Here is a bill that was chosen for scoring the RINO Index,
& why this bill is bad for the average Oklahoman.

You and I won't be offered these bonds as investments, only the most connected. Past that, we as a people could afford to pay as we go if we had fiscal responsibility and save two third the long term cost of this project.

HB 2389 creates new state debt, $58.5 million dollars in bonds for a new Oklahoma State Department of Health building.

Many millions of dollars will be paid out in bond sale fees and high interest rates, mainly to people that borrowed long term at a few percent interest and turn around and quadruple that in a safe investment to the state. You and I won't be offered these bonds as investments, only the most connected. Like the OJA bonds we taxpayers will pay three times for this project over the life of the bonds. If we need a building, chop that much off welfare or free health care to able bodied people.

Tobacco Tax Faces Court Battle

Tobacco Company Files Lawsuit

Against Illegal Cigarette "Fee"

  SB 845 was one of the many illegally passed bills that raised revenue, AKA taxes, without a supermajority of the legislature and without a vote of the people and also passed in the last five days of the session. Not only that, the bill originated in the Senate and all revenue bills MUST originate as House bills. The House controls the purse strings so that alone is enough to stop the bill in court.

  The $1.50 "fee" was earlier rejected as a tax in the House so the Senate picked up the same bill and passed it and sent it to the House after re labeling it as a "fee" which legally has been held to be a re couping of costs for a government function. A wide load permit fee is one example, or a fee for staying overnight in a state campground or park.

  Philipp Morris and RJ Reynolds tobacco companies weren't having any part of the illegally passed bill so they filed suit stating the obvious; the bill violated the state constitutional prohibition against passing revenue-raising measures in the final five days of a legislative session and without a super majority of lawmakers. The legislation was passed with the emergency clause so the bill goes into law in August and is expected to pump about 20 million per month into state coffers with most of the revenue going into the newly created Health Care Enhancement Fund which is supposed to be used to reduce cigarette use and reduce health care costs.

Feedback On 2017 House RINO Index

Feedback on the 20017 House Oklahoma RINO Index

  Only one House member wrote in questioning his score, a freshman who thought he was doing the right thing in supporting leadership after three bills that he voted against passed anyway. We are omitting his name as they were polite and probably learned his lesson:

"Thanks for tracking our votes. I think that is important. I haven't had a chance to look through them all yet, but I recall voting NO on SB845, HB2433, and HB2367.  Thanks again, and have a great week! "

  What happened was they indeed voted no on all three bills initially but once they passed they voted yes on the emergency clause. The emergency clause fast tracks the law, instead of waiting till November to become law it becomes law it becomes law earlier in the summer. Not only does the tax increases or new taxes get a head start on stealing from your bank account, it also short cuts the chance for citizens to file challenges against the law before they become law.

Now if a law is a bad idea and you voted against it, why would you vote to fast track the law?

Richardson Leads Legal Battle To Stop Unconstitutional Taxes

A Governor For the People

  Last Thursday we saw candidate Gary Richardson hold a press conference announcing his plan to file a lawsuit in the Oklahoma Supreme Court challenging House Bills 1449, 2348, and 2433. HB 1449 was the alternative fuel vehicle tax, HB 2348 froze deductions on income tax returns, and HB 2433 is the new sales tax on top of the "in lieu of" excise tax.

  This of course points out why we always choose the worst vote on legislation and it isn't always the last reading of the bill.

  Here is a link to the audio tape of the news conference or you can read the transcript below:

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I'm here today to talk about the recent "tax increases" that were passed by our legislators.
Our state constitution reads in Article 5, that "the people reserve to themselves the power to propose laws and amendments to the Constitution and to enact or reject the laws and amendments at the polls, independent of the legislature."

Konawa Tea Party Calls Legislators To Account

Konawa Tea Party

(4th) Tuesday June 27, 2017 7:00 - 9:00 PM

Kennedy Library - The Dougan Room

Konawa School, 701 W South Street

Invited Speakers: Rep. Josh Cockroft and St. Rep. Zack Taylor

Below is Josh Cockcroft's RINO Index.  Hopefully someone will ask him about his horrible voting record this session.  Zack Taylor came in late in the session and only had a handful of votes of which he got around 60% right.