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Posted: May 22, 2017 3:20 AMUpdated: May 22, 2017 3:20 AM

Senator Daniels Returns to Work Disappointed in Inaction

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Charlie Taraboletti

State Senator Julie Daniels returned to the Capitol this morning disappointed that the Senate wasn’t called into a Sunday evening or Monday morning session, meaning no budget proposal has been agreed to with House Democrats.

Since any measure to raise revenue must begin in the House and receive a supermajority of votes, some Democrats must support any proposal presented. 
The senator says the give and take of these negotiations has become protracted and frustrating for everyone concerned.  She says there are the politics of discussion, persuasion and compromise and power politics.  The House minority leader is playing power politics.  This leaves a bad taste in my mouth and should do the same for all Oklahomans who believe in responsible government.

A week ago the Senate took bold action and passed its own budget plan and sent it to the House.  No Senate Democrats voted for the proposal.  The House took no action on the Senate plan.

The Senate proposal would raise 514 million dollars in recurring revenue.   When combined with some one-time money and budget reforms passed earlier in the session, the plan protects the Department of Corrections, the Department of Human Services, rural hospitals and education from further budget cuts, while keeping reductions to other agencies between three and five percent. 

The plan included a $1.50 increase in the cigarette tax; a 6 cents per gallon increase in taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel, dedicated to roads and bridges; the elimination of gross production tax rebates and the elimination of a sales tax exemption for the wind industry.


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