Monday, May 15, 2017

Tobacco Tax Hike Fails, Moves To 2018 Ballot Question

  By a vote of 63-34 with Sean Roberts abstaining, the 98 seated members of the House of Representatives failed to reach the 75% threshold to pass new revenue legislation.
  But the majority passage does allow it to be placed on the ballot of the Nov. 2018  general election.

  The new tax of roughly $1.50 per pack of cigarettes would be designated for various healthcare interests.

  The House Democrats did not vote as a block like they did last year.  The Platform Caucus was also not completely monolithic.

  Gov. Fallin did not return to the House floor like she did last year.

A careful observation of the house video reveals that 3 Republicans switched their votes at the last minute. All three of them; McDugle, Park, and Frix; saw that the tax was failing, and decided that they opposed it.

They will likely be asked about this by their constituents and others.
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from Sooner Politics.org - Editorial http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/tobacco-tax-hike-fails-moves-to-2018-ballot-question

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