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There were 145 lawmakers wrangling with the pressure of the last week of regular session, last month. Budget committees tried to force massive new taxes and the governor added her pressure to the mix.
Along with the minority party exercising their leverage for an oil production tax, there were 24 solidly conservative lawmakers pushing back against a clear violation of the Republican party tenants of limiting government, rather than confiscating the peoples' wealth. Leadership was not willing to give up the perks and swag of their privilege. Their well-connected friends and former colleagues at the regents for Higher Education wanted to keep the $800 million pipeline of unaccountable money for pretty campus buildings. The Platform Caucus and associates in both houses were able to make their principled convictions clearly known by voting 'no' on the biggest offenders of the constitutional rules for revenue bills. Sooner Politics salutes these men and encourages their constituents to make a statement of solidarity, while we await the next step in this protracted process of defending Oklahoma's constitution. |
These 24 lawmakers held back their support for some bills which legal experts say are a violation of state constitutional law.
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Rep. John Bennett
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Sen. Josh Brecheen
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Rep. Kevin Calvey
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Rep. Jeff Coody
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Sen. Nathan Dahm
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Rep. Tim Downing
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Rep. Travis Dunlap
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Rep. George Faught
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Sen. Jack Fry
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Rep. Tom Gann
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Rep. Tommy Hardin
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Rep. Mark Lawson
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Sen James Leewright
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Rep. Jason Murphey
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Rep. Pat Ownbey
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Sen. Adam Pugh
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Sen. Marty Quinn
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Rep. Mike Ritze
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Rep. Sean Roberts
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Sen. Jason Smalley
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Rep. Chuck Strohm
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Sen. Anthony Sykes
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Rep. Zack Taylor
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Rep. Rick West
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from Sooner Politics.org - Editorial http://www.soonerpolitics.org/editorial/24-lawmakers-said-no-to-controversial-tax-ploys
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