Nothing works as well as 'threatening to cut state legislators pay', to get them to pass a budget. One must remember that "money talks" to Corporate lawmakers. Last week, the head of the committee which sets state lawmakers' salaries threatened to cut legislator pay, if they didn't get on the ball and do some actual work - like passing a balanced state budget by increasing revenue. Lo and behold, when the legislature went back to work today, they immediately announced that a budget deal has been reached - by increasing taxes on... you guessed it - middle income Oklahomans (6 cents a gallon increase on fuel and $1.50 tax increase on a pack of cigs.
While it's a safe bet that Oklahoma Corporate taxes, like the Gross Production tax on oil and gas won't increase, sales tax on goods and services that we all buy will increase. The reason corporations and wealthy Oklahomans have been spared tax increases is simple. Many corporate state lawmakers signed the Grover Norquist pledge "I will never vote to raise taxes", but the pledge was a 'contract' to never raise corporate taxes, so no "breach of corporate contract" is evident as lawmakers vote to increase taxes on the working poor and middle class individuals. If state lawmakers actually did vote to raise corporate taxes, those who contracted with corporations to never raise taxes could face a corporate lawsuit. Corporations would also undoubtedly discontinue campaign donations (pay cut) to their corporate employee lawmakers. Remember... money talks to corporate lawmakers..
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