THE CONSERVATIVE VIEW
BY RUSSELL TURNER
HERE WE GO AGAIN
It seems just like yesterday when our current governor, Mary Fallin, laid out a tax and spend scheme to pump more money out of the pockets of all Oklahomans. Her scheme was to impose a sales tax upon almost every service that Oklahomans use on a daily basis; by some estimates that tax would have been around 10%. Those services would cover such things as doctor and dentist visits, barbers, auto mechanics, plumbers, etc. Fortunately there were enough outcries that her proposal was abandoned; sadly this flawed idea is again rearing its ugly head. I have heard reports that some Republican candidates have voiced support for such a proposal.
Earlier this year we Oklahomans had the biggest increase in taxes in state history, now we have a new tax hungry bunch wanting even more of our hard earned money. What these highly educated individuals with little to no practical working experience fail to understand is the simple fact that many workers providing these services are struggling to make a modest living every day. For example, I personally know many carpenters in my area that work out of their pickup for individuals who want small building and remodeling jobs done. These carpenters have no retirement, no group health care plans, and no secretary to do the paperwork that such a law would entail. All of us know someone in our communities that provide a much needed service, whether it is a carpenter or auto mechanic, at a reasonable price; a law like this would essentially put them out of business. The end result would be those reasonable prices for the services you need would no longer be there.
Many Oklahomans think that any such bill would require a 75% majority, but they are wrong; this bill could be passed with a simple 50% plus one vote to pass. Fortunately in the previous session there were enough true conservatives who were able to thwart Fallin's plan, sadly many of them were voted out in the primaries. With that in mind it is imperative that we as voters screen out the supporters of the tax on services and prevent them from having an office in the state capital. To me it makes no difference what political party they belong to, I am a registered republican but I will not support any republican that supports a tax on services.
The local people who work out of their pickup can only charge what the traffic will bear. If they could charge an extra 10% for their service they might have the ability to purchase some health insurance or lay back a little for retirement. For all of these potential legislators who support this resurrected money grab, I have a suggestion for them. When you look at it almost everyone who works is providing a service - that includes legislators. If they are intent upon supporting this idea it would be a good faith idea for them to fork over 10% of their salary to the state as a tax on their service to the people of the state of Oklahoma. It gets old when we have to say "HERE WE GO AGAIN" every time the legislature convenes. It is sad when the people who do the work to keep this country and state running are taken for granted and are looked at as a cash cow to fund the elite's grand ideas.
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