Editor, The Transcript:
One can wish that every Oklahoman has read and absorbed the content of the article appearing in The Norman Transcript on Monday which covered the various tax breaks that the state lawmakers enacted over the years. In the article, the sum of more than $3.1 billion is reported in 15 different major exemptions, deductions, credits, etc. The State Tax Commission, however, lists more than 300 such enactments. There are many more deductions to take effect in the near future which will add hundreds of millions more to the budget shortfalls.
With the Republicans in control of both houses of the legislature, we can assume that they will pass more tax cuts to energize the depressed economy of the State, because that is their answer (along with too much Democratic support, to be sure), to nearly every problem the state confronts. A recent exception is the "right-to-work" law which they promised would bring in a flood of industries. We are still waiting for that promise to be realized.
The overwhelming effect of the many tax cuts in good times has a way of coming home to roost when times are bad, as will always happen. If their goal is to handicap government so that our State will remain among those at the bottom of the 50 states in social service programs, prisons, education and a host of other programs that the people through our legislature enacted over the decades, it appears that they will succeed.
In the end, we can expect that the Federal Government will be blamed for our lack of state revenues even as it pours millions of dollars annually (along with $4.5 billion of stimulus money now allocated for Oklahoma) into the state at the cost of ever greater national indebtedness. When will we, the voters, demand that tax policy be based on the needs of our State rather than the politics of our legislators?
WALTER SCHEFFER
Norman
Letters
Voters should demand a break
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More government intrusion
Editor, The Transcript: Kudos to Kathryn Jean Lopez of the National Review Online for telling it like it is (Transcript Opinion, Feb. 12, 2012) regarding President Obama’s religious “overreach.” No, Mr. President, your latest knee-jerk ...
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It’s time for Valentine’s Day
If it’s full of hearts and flowers And a cupid with a dart, That’s a card that’s mighty pretty and aimed right for your heart....
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Gov. Fallin’s tax plan is one big mistake
Editor, The Transcript: Well, it’s official now. In her State of the State message, Gov. Fallin confirmed that she hopes to reduce the state income tax now and totally eliminate it later. Big mistake, for two compelling reasons....
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Another Library Vote? Good grief!
Editor, The Transcript A new library on the west side? With hardly any books? With a dumb name above the entry as shown in your rendering? Infoplace? The library bureaucracy must think Norman voters just fell off the turnip truck....
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Eliminating state taxes places burden on poor
Editor, The Transcript: Your editorial on Feb. 8th that expressed your pleasure that the bill by Jim Wilson that would have removed the sales tax exemptions from newspapers was killed in committee was disconcerting. I can agree that the ...
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Not time to experiment with state taxes
Editor, The Transcript Governor Fallin proposed more cuts to the state income tax in her State of the State speech Feb. 6. This comes on the heels of a House Tax Reform Task Force that also proposed phasing out the state income tax over a ...
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Local investment is better for Norman
Editor, The Transcript Americans from all walks of life and political ideologies are asserting their voice to tell Wall Street “Enough is enough!” Occupy Norman members spoke at the Dec. 13 Norman City Council meeting, urging the city to ...
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Decline in unions harmful to economy
Editor, The Transcript Remember sometimes you get what your ask for? Let’s see, what could that be? I know, destroy those evil unions which are compromised of the middle class....
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Independent group needed
Editor, The Transcript: I wanted to write a letter a long time ago, but Ms. Rogers’ letter claiming that “Chromium levels in the water shouldn’t cause alarm” pushed me over the edge. As an environmental professional in Oklahoma, I have ...
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Obamacare is socialist nightmare
Editor, The Transcript: And now for the rest of the story… “Obamacare, Another Entitlement Nightmare.” The recent St. Louis Post Dispatch editorial reprint illustrates the sophistry that characterizes the liberal mindset now grasping the ...
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More government intrusion
