Property tax splitting GOP House?
Dank, R-Oklahoma City, said today House Speaker Chris Benge, R-Tulsa, should “step up on this vital issue or step down and let someone else lead the House” in enacting it.
“I was frankly astonished by the speaker’s recent statements in opposition to these simple and fair reforms,” said Dank, who has authored measures that would cap annual property tax increases at 3 percent and freeze those taxes for seniors over 65.
“Not only are his statements out of touch with the core Republican principle of limited government we were sent here to espouse, they are factually incorrect,” Dank said.
He said his property tax reforms would result in no revenue reductions to schools or counties, and would have no effect on the state budget.
Benge told the Tulsa World that now is not the time to further limit increases in property valuations.
“I just don’t think that the timing is good to reduce revenue,” Benge said.
Dank said Benge “needs to step up on this vital issue” by allowing the House to vote on it “or step down and let someone else lead the House to make it happen.”
- Michael McNutt, Capitol Bureau
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Talk of lowering property taxes continues
The discussion over whether to cap property taxes continues. Senate Republicans are pushing for it, while the Speaker of the House says it’s not the right time. Check out the Tulsa World’s story and interview with House Speaker Chris Benge, R-Tulsa.
Debate and discussion are always encouraged in the U.S. political system, it’s just curious to me that Senate Republicans are in favor of this measure while the leader of the House has on multiple occasions said he’s not in favor of it.
I guess maybe Repubs are hoping the bill will get a hearing and House members will have a hard time voting against it. The bill limits the increase on property taxes and would require voter approval.
Last year, Sen. Jim Reynolds was more than miffed when his joint resolution passed the Senate but didn’t get heard in the House. He’s filed another resolution, SJR 57 which includes a “Homeowner’s Bill of Rights.”
Let the games begin.
Bill filing deadline today
The House of Representatives during Gov. Brad Henry's state of the state address last year.
Lawmakers are working to file their bills today.
It will be interesting to see what they propose. Lawmakers head into a session with sagging revenues and agencies that are weathering cuts that are starting to affect services — and the average person.
Political parties like to have an agenda or theme for the session, but it seems that the budget and the lack of state revenue might overshadow any proposed legislative agenda.
We’ll be taking a look at the bills filed in the next few days to see what themes emerge. No one is proposing new taxes, but lawmakers are interested in creating a state “Cowboy” song, allowing hunters to use silencers and requiring marriage counseling for couples. There have also been discussions about legislation to reform the state’s workers compensation system. Take a look at the House and Senate bills here. You’ll get bills from the 2009 session, but keep scrolling and you’ll hit 2010.
Several bills also deal with reforms to education. Aside from the budget, education may emerge as the top issue. Last session, Republicans spent a lot of time going over academic standards. There was a task force during the interim that met on the issue. And by next year, there will be a new state superintendent of education. Sandy Garrett announced she would not seek another term in November. She was elected in 1990.
Jolley says he was misunderstood
Just got a call back from Sen. Clark Jolley. He says his remarks at the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration were misunderstood.
I was very careful about what I was going to say or not say. I had it written down. I said I would rather see us focus on income taxes.
A Twitter post earlier today said Jolley didn’t think capping property taxes “added up” at this time. The proposed legislation would put a question on the ballot asking voters whether they wanted their property tax increases limited. Sen. Jim Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, proposed the legislation. It passed out of the Senate, and Jolley was among those who supported. The bill never got a hearing in the House.
Jolley says limiting the increase on property taxes is what he gets the most email from constituents.
“Some don’t even want a cap, they want a freeze,” he said.
Jolley said he supports the effort to get the question on the ballot, but is still undecided on how he would vote if the question made it to the ballot.
Mixed signals
Yesterday Senate Republicans released their legislative agenda at a news conference.
Part of their plank includes support to “Limit growth of government and reduce the tax burden of Oklahoma families through an ad valorem tax cap.”
Sen. Todd Lamb, R-Edmond highlight the measure as “other things you will see,” but then referred all questions to Sen. Jim Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, who has pushed legislation to limit the increase on property taxes. Reynolds was not one of a handful of Senate Republicans who attended the press conference.
Maybe Sen. Clark Jolley, R-Edmond, didn’t get the memo. Jolley was part of a legislative panel this morning at the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration and apparently didn’t throw his support behind a measure to cap property taxes.
This little tidbit popped up on Shelly Hickman’s Twitter earlier today. Hickman (@Shelly_Hickman) is the public affairs chief for the State Department of Education.
Speaker Benge and Sen Jolly telling school administrators capping property taxes at this time doesn’t add up.
So far, Jolley hasn’t returned a call seeking comment.
Treasurer says things can only get better
State revenue figures released today show collections are off by 30.7 percent compared to the estimate. They’re 29.1 percent lower than last year’s collection.
Ask any educator or state employee, the budget cuts are being felt. Employees are seeing furlough days, private contracts cut — all in effort to make up the difference.
In his press conference this afternoon State Treasurer Scott Meacham sounded a little bit hopeful.
When asked if Oklahoma is still the “recession proof” state it was touted to be a few months back, he replied: “We’re not California.”
It’s true. We’re not. We’ve got some money stashed away in the Rainy Day Fund and stimulus dollars in place. The legislative session starts in February and agency heads were hoping that lawmakers would have an agreement on where the money should come from, “targeted cuts.” Meacham says negotiations on the budget continue.
In the midst of all that, the nation is gripped by a cold snap. For folks in Oklahoma, cold weather means dollar signs for the state government. People need oil or natural gas to heat their homes.
“I think I was the only person in this state who was glad to see the cold weather,” Meacham said.
But reaping the benefits of increased demand for oil or natural gas will be delayed, he said, as producers decide whether its a good time to get back into the business of drilling.
“The next six months will be better than the past six months,” Meacham said.
All options are on the table, but tax increases are still off-limits, he says.
Agendas, revenue figures released today
It’s busy at the Capitol today.
Senate Republican leaders unveiled a portion of their agenda this morning which includes reforming the state’s workers compensation system, promoting job growth with lower taxes and less regulation and limiting growth of property tax increases.
Republicans are also pushing measures to include school supplies in the back-to-school tax holiday and reduce government spending.
Some of their measures will cost money if put into law. Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, wants to create an Office of Accountability and Innovation to audit agencies and find waste. He says the measure would cost about $1 million, but would be paid for with savings found in the audits.
Republicans also said they would oppose any measure that would increase taxes of any kind. Today’s press conference is one of three press conferences the GOP will have to discuss their legislative agenda. That’s a change. Usually it’s just one big press conference. It’s curious as to why they will have three, and who is paying that mileage, if there is any to be paid?
Other senators at today’s press conference included Cliff Branan, R-Oklahoma City; John Ford, R-Bartlesville; Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa; Harry Coates, R-Seminole; Anthony Sykes, R-Oklahoma City; James Halligan, R-Stillwater and Todd Lamb, R-Edmond.
Coates has thrown his name in the hat to take over the Senate president pro tempore spot after Coffee, who is term limited. Coates is heading up the Senate Republican effort to reform the state’s workers compensation system and got a helping of praise from Coffee today for his efforts. Coates says he’s already met with large employers in the state such as Wal-Mart, Express and workers compensation attorneys.
Jones to seek state labor post
Rep. Tad Jones, House majority floor leader, said he will file for the post during the filing period in June.
Jones, R-Claremore, cannot seek re-election because of legislative term limits. He was elected in 1998. Legislators are limited to serving 12 years in Oklahoma.
Jones said he would stand behind state businesses and would oppose national policies that hinder economic growth.
Labor Commissioner Lloyd Fields, a Democrat, is seeking a second four-year term.
Jason Reese, a Republican, announced earlier he is a contender for the post.
Jones said the Labor Department has power to influence policies that affect the state’s ability to grow, attract business and industry, and to create jobs.
- Michael McNutt, Capitol Bureau
Edmondson joins fight against Nebraska Medicaid perk
Attorney General Drew Edmondson is one of a handful of states attorneys general who are asking for clarification on a plan to offset Medicaid increases hatched during the Senate negotiations on the national health care reform bill. Nebraska Democrat Sen. Ben Nelson cut the deal in exchange for his support of the Senate health care plan.
Officials in other states that will have to pay the Medicaid costs are questioning whether the provision is constitutional. Charlie Price, a spokesman for Edmondson said, the AG is already conferring with attorneys general in other states.
Most of those officials are Republicans, criticizing a Democratic backed deal. Edmondson, who is running for governor, is a Democrat. Edmondson’s efforts to scrutinize the legislation are legitimate. Oklahoma gets a lot of federal dollars for Medicaid. If this provision went through it could impact on health care dollars flowing into the state. The U.S. House and Senate have to reconcil the difference between each chamber’s version of the bill before a final measure is presented to the President.
And in an election year, it doesn’t hurt Edmondson’s image to oppose a measure promoted by Democrats and President Obama. Obama got paltry support in Oklahoma in his bid for the presidency as every county in Oklahoma voted in favor of McCain. Public support for health care reform in Oklahoma hasn’t been widespread either.
It’s early in the election year, but nationally Republicans are already currying favor with voters by contrasting their views with President Obama’s. In a red state like Oklahoma, it might even work for Democrats.
A budget-only session?
That’s the idea that Lt. Gov. Jari Askins is proposing. She’s among the candidates running for governor this year. Read about it in Michael McNutt’s story.
Whoever is elected will face a tough budget year and will have to help state government work more efficently without compromising services to the people who really need them. In some ways the current budget crisis will help separate the candidates from each other. Who really has a plan and who really just has talking points?
Tis the season. Ring the bell. The dawning of a New Year means election season has begun.
