Tag: Chris Benge

It's not the personal income tax

Why do some companies choose to locate their businesses  in Texas rather than Oklahoma? During the first two meetings of the Task Force on Comprehensive Tax Reform, co-chair Representative David Dank has stated repeatedly that the absence of the personal… Read more [More...]

Energy Stabilization Fund proposal would help avoid wild budget swings

House Speaker Chris Benge this week was joined by Republican Senator Patrick Anderson and Democratic Senator John Sparks in unveiling a proposal to create a new budgetary reserve fund to help cushion the state from a repeat of the extreme… Read more [More...]

FY '10 budget agreement leaves questions and challenges

In a press release Tuesday afternoon, Governor Brad Henry, Speaker Chris Benge and Senate Pro-Tem Glenn Coffee announced agreement on how to address the shortfalls in the FY ’10 budget that have resulted from this year’s revenues coming in sharply… Read more [More...]

Cutting budgets AND cutting taxes?

Today’s Tulsa World has a strong editorial opposing legislative proposals to enact further restrictions on property taxes.  For those who haven’t been following, this week has seen a public flare-up of a long-simmering internal battle within the House Republican caucus… Read more [More...]

The Rainy Day Fund debate: Not if, but when…and how much?

If state fiscal conditions can be likened to the weather, it’s been apparent for many months that Oklahoma is in the midst of a toad strangler of a rain, to borrow the Tulsa World’s colorful characterization. Going into the current… Read more [More...]

How much budget cutting is too much?–SQ 744 and this year's revenue shortfall

The House of Representatives Appropriation and Budget Committee recently held hearings on an interim study of State Question 744. State Question 744, also known as the HOPE petition, is an initiative sponsored by the Oklahoma Education Association (OEA) that would… Read more [More...]