AARP discusses why TABOR is wrong for Oklahoma's senior citizens
Sheila J. Robinson, The Daily Ardmoreite
March 2, 2006
A petition was filed in the Oklahoma Supreme Court on Feb. 22 challenging an initiative petition to put a Taxpayer Bill of Rights to a vote of the people.
Kelly Burley, Oklahoma associate state director communications, AARP, made a presentation and discussed the issue with the Ardmore AARP chapter on Monday at Sirloin Stockade.
Burley said AARP is opposed to TABOR because of the way it will affect senior citizens with funding on healthcare and other agencies, as well as for roads and bridges and education.
"Colorado is the only state in the nation to adopt TABOR," he said. "The results have been devastating for that state. When Colorado enacted their TABOR in 1992, it was a booming state. Let's not make the same mistake."
The Secretary of State's office certified the number of signature on the initiative petition for State Question 726 at 299,029 in January. The Supreme Court will determine whether the number of signatures is sufficient. To take it to a vote of the public, the initiative must be found have at least 219,564 valid voter signatures.
"The main thrust for TABOR is coming from outside of Oklahoma," Burley said. "I think the people of Oklahoma should decide how their money should be spent."
Burley presented a film where citizens of Colorado made comments about TABOR such as, "Usually when it looks too good to be true, it is too good to be true."
Another speaker on the film explained since TABOR, Colorado has one of the poorest funded K-12 education in the nation, and child immunization rates have fallen to one of the lowest in the country.
A mother in the film spoke of how she had to pay more for her children to participate in sports because some services were no longer available. According to the film, money for firefighters had been cut back, as well as for agriculture.
Burley said Colorado voters had rejected TABOR twice prior to its approval in 1992. Colorado recently voted to put its TABOR on hold for five years.
"This is going to be an issue that will be hotly debated in our state," Burley said.
Information about TABOR can be found online at www.okbudgetalliance.org.
What is TABOR?
Oklahoma's TABOR would limit annual increases in government spending to the growth of inflation plus growth of population. Tax revenue in excess of that amount is to be refunded to taxpayers. Lawmakers may raise taxes or keep tax refunds only if voters give their approval.
Oklahoma's plan would allow state agencies and the legislature to skirt spending caps by increasing fees for things like hunting licenses or driver's licenses. TABOR also invites taxpayers to sue the government if they feel the spending limits have been violated.
Oklahoma is one of more than 20 states considering TABOR, along with Pennsylvania, Maine and Wisconsin.
"In 2001, (state) government grew at almost 10 percent. That same year the economy grew by only 4 percent," said Rick Carpenter, Oklahomans in Action. "You cannot allow government to grow at two or three times the rate of the economy."
Based in Tulsa, Oklahomans in Action gathered almost 300,000 names on a petition to place State Question 726 creating a Taxpayer Bill of Rights on a ballot for Oklahoma voters.
