AFP Challenges State Leaders: “Where Are The Cuts?”

MAY 16, 2017

AFP – Oklahoma Challenges State Leaders: “Where Are The Cuts?”
 ANY budget deal must include substantial, strategic spending cuts.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Americans for Prosperity – Oklahoma (AFP-OK), the state’s leading grassroots organization fighting for lower taxes and less government growth, issued a challenge to state leaders to find ways to cut spending instead of looking primarily at tax increases to solve Oklahoma’s budget woes.

AFP-OK State Director John Tidwell challenged state leaders to show taxpayers budget cuts before raising taxes:

“It should be of grave concern to voters that all of the focus at the Capitol remains on filling the budget hole with tax increases, not spending cuts.  Where are the cuts?” said Tidwell.

On Monday, the Appropriations and Budget Committee advanced several tax increases for consideration in the House. An excise tax increase on vehicle title transfers between a spouse or their family members and a tax on cable and satellite TV service, including streaming video services like Netflix, will be voted on this week. Lawmakers also advanced a bill to halt the back-to-school sales tax holiday which occurs every fall.

Two recent Oklahoma polls found that voters believe state leaders need to focus on reducing the size of government. In February, the SoonerPoll found 81% of respondents believe ‘more efficiencies can be found in state government spending.’ Just last week, CHS Inc. released a Sooner Survey which found that 65% of respondents believe state leaders should ‘reduce spending’ as a way of dealing with the budget shortfall.

Tidwell added, “The majority of Oklahomans want spending cut, but the politicians aren’t listening to them. If legislators ignore the will of the people and refuse to cut spending, we will remember at the next election.” 

Tell Lawmakers to Stop the Tax Frenzy. Send them a message at www.NoTaxFrenzyOK.com – Our state needs responsible spending, not more taxes.