TABOR flunks legislative poll
Ron Jenkins, Associated Press
March 26, 2006
A majority of state legislators surveyed -- 86 out of 148 -- opposes the so-called Taxpayer Bill of Rights.
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Most members of the Oklahoma Legislature oppose a planned ballot measure that
would limit the growth of government spending.
Of the 148 lawmakers surveyed by The Associated Press, 86 were against the so-called Taxpayer Bill of
Rights, 17 were in favor of it and 45 were undecided. There is one vacancy in the Senate.
State Question 726 would amend the state constitution to require that government spending increases be tied
to a percentage based on inflation and population growth.
The secretary of state's office has counted nearly 300,000 signatures in favor of putting the measure on the
ballot. That's about 80,000 more than needed to qualify the proposal for a statewide vote.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court will consider a legal challenge to the state question by business executives
opposed to the measure, which is also known as TABOR.
More than two dozen plaintiffs are listed in the lawsuit, including George Kaiser, president and CEO of the
Kaiser-Francis Oil Co.; Larry Nichols, CEO of Devon Energy; John Brock, chairman of Brighton Energy;
Burns Hargis, vice president of the Bank of Oklahoma, and former Oklahoma City Mayor Kirk Humphreys.
At a Friday hearing with a Supreme Court referee, lawyers for sponsors of the petition said they hope the
legal challenge can be resolved so the issue can go to this year's November general election ballot.
Of the 101 members of the House, nine Republicans backed the initiative petition, 15 Republicans and 43
Democrats were opposed and 33 Republicans and one Democrat were undecided.
In the Senate, all 25 Democrats surveyed were opposed to the proposition, while eight Republicans favored
it, three opposed it and 11 were undecided.
"If TABOR is enacted and made part of the Oklahoma Constitution, it will stop Oklahoma in its tracks. We will
never have a chance to improve our state," said Senate President Pro Tem Mike Morgan, D-Stillwater.
"Ridiculous," is how Sen. Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso, viewed that argument.
Brogdon said he isn't surprised about the small number of his colleagues willing to publicly back the plan,
saying he was "almost alone" as a supporter only a year ago.
A similar proposal was enacted in Colorado, where its supporters say it spurred the economy during the
1990s. But Colorado voters went to the polls last November and voted to suspend TABOR for five years so
the state could build back essential services that suffered, particularly higher education.
Reps. Kevin Calvey, R-Del City, and Fred Morgan, R-Oklahoma City, are running for the Republican
nomination in the 5th Congressional District and are among the minority of legislators publicly backing
TABOR. Another is Sen. James Williamson, a Republican candidate for governor.
"We need to put government on a diet and that's what the stop-overspending ballot initiative does," Calvey
said.
Democratic Gov. Brad Henry said he prefers targeted tax cuts to lure capital investment and new jobs to the
state over the TABOR formula. "It's a debate worth having, but we need to look at the experience of
Colorado," he said.
The Tulsa-based Oklahomans for Action led the signature-gather driving. The campaign was funded mainly
by out-of-state groups, such as the Washington, D.C.-based Americans for Prosperity Foundation.
Foes of the measure argue that Oklahoma is behind most other states in funding for schools, highways and
other services and the proposal would not allow the state to catch up.
Supporters of the measure say too much government spending is bad for the economy and by reducing it and
cutting taxes through rebates, the state and its economic fortunes will grow.
Some lawmakers, including Rep. Shane Jett, R-Tecumseh, and Rep. Ray Miller, D-Quinton, said they resent
the fact that the petition drive was mostly funded by outside money.
"I don't like any kind of outside think-tank setting Oklahoma policy," Jett said. "We are elected by our district
to set policy based on what we think is best for them and best for the state."
Miller said TABOR is "backed by outside interest groups who don't give a rip about Oklahoma" but are "just
trying to experiment with our economy to see if it will work or not."
Brogdon said the state has more than doubled its budget in the past 10 years and restraining spending is
logical because "government always wants more money."
"It's the taxpayers' money, not ours," added Rep. Sally Kern, R-Oklahoma City.
TABOR legislative poll breakdown
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Here is a breakdown of the positions of the 148 members of the Oklahoma Senate
and House on the Taxpayer Bill of Rights petition now in the Supreme Court. Lawmakers were asked if they
favored TABOR, were opposed to it or were undecided.
SENATE
Democrats for TABOR (0)
Democrats undecided (0)
Democrats against TABOR (25)
- Tom Adelson of Tulsa
- Randy Bass of Lawton
- Bernest Cain of Oklahoma City
- Gilmer Capps of Snyder
- Kenneth Corn of Poteau
- Johnnie C. Crutchfield of Ardmore
- Mary Easley of Tulsa
- Judy Eason McIntyre of Tulsa
- Ted Fisher of Sapulpa
- Earl Garrison of Muskogee
- Jay Paul Gumm of Durant
- J. Berry Harrison of Fairfax
- Cal Hobson of Lexington
- Constance Johnson of Oklahoma City
- Charles Laster of Shawnee
- Daisy Lawler of Comanche
- Debbe Leftwich of Oklahoma City
- Richard Lerblance of Hartshorne
- Mike Morgan of Stillwater
- Susan Paddack of Ada
- Jeff Rabon of Hugo
- Frank Shurden of Henryetta
- Stratton Taylor of Claremore
- Jim Wilson of Tahlequah
- Charles Wyrick of Fairland
Republicans for TABOR (8)
- Randy Brogdon of Owasso
- Glenn Coffee of Oklahoma City
- Clark Jolley of Edmond
- Owen Laughlin of Woodward
- Scott Pruitt of Tulsa
- Jim Reynolds of Oklahoma City
- Kathleen Wilcoxson of Oklahoma City
- James Williamson of Tulsa
Republicans against TABOR (3)
- Patrick Anderson of Enid
- Harry Coates of Seminole
- Mike Johnson of Kingfisher
Republicans undecided (11)
- Cliff Aldridge of Midwest City
- Don Barrington of Lawton
- Cliff Branan of Oklahoma City
- Brian A. Crain of Tulsa
- John Ford of Bartlesville
- Ron Justice of Chickasha
- Todd Lamb of Edmond
- Mike Mazzei of Tulsa
- David Myers of Ponca City
- Jonathan Nichols of Norman
- Nancy Riley of Tulsa
HOUSE
Republicans for TABOR (9):
- Kevin Calvey of Del City
- Odilia Dank of Oklahoma City
- Sally Kern of Oklahoma City
- Fred Morgan of Oklahoma City
- Mike Reynolds of Oklahoma City
- Randy Terrill of Oklahoma City
- Sue Tibbs of Tulsa
- Paul Wesselhoft of Moore
- Trebor Worthen of Oklahoma City
Republicans against TABOR (15):
- Brian Bingman of Sapulpa
- Bill Case of Midwest City
- Dale Dewitt of Braman
- Jeff Hickman of Dacoma
- Shane Jett of Tecumseh
- Rob Johnson of Kingfisher
- Steve Martin of Bartlesville
- John Nance of Oklahoma City
- Ron Peters of Tulsa
- Greg Piatt of Ardmore
- Phil Richardson of Minco
- Curt Roggow of Hillsdale
- Daniel Sullivan of Tulsa
- Susan Winchester of Chickasha
- Mike Wilt of Bartlesville
Republicans Undecided (33):
- Dennis Atkins of Tulsa
- Don Armes of Faxon
- Thad Balkman of Norman
- Gary Banz of Midwest City
- Chris Benge of Tulsa
- Lisa Billy of Purcell
- Gus Blackwell of Goodwell
- Lance Cargill of Harrah
- Marian Cooksey of Edmond
- Ann Coody of Comanche
- Doug Cox of Grove
- Lee Denny of Cushing
- Dale DePue of Edmond
- Rex Duncan of Sand Springs
- Chris Hastings of Tulsa
- Todd Hiett of Kellyville
- Terry Ingmire of Stillwater
- Mike Jackson of Enid
- Tad Jones of Claremore
- Guy Liebmann of Oklahoma City
- Mark Liotta of Tulsa
- Doug Miller of Norman
- Ken Miller of Edmond
- Jim Newport of Ponca City
- Fred Perry of Tulsa
- Pam Peterson of Tulsa
- Ron Peterson of Tulsa
- John Smaligo Jr. of Owasso
- Kris Steele of Shawnee
- Mike Thompson of Oklahoma City
- John Trebilcock of Broken Arrow
- John Wright of Tulsa
- Ray Young of Yukon
Democrats for TABOR: (0)
Democrats against TABOR (43):
- Jari Askins of Duncan
- John Auffet of Stilwell
- Debbie Blackburn of Oklahoma City
- David B. Braddock of Altus
- Neil Brannon of Arkoma
- Mike Brown of Fort Gibson
- John Carey of Durant
- James E. Covey of Custer City
- Abe Deutschendorf of Lawton
- Joe Dorman of Rush Springs
- Jerry Ellis of Valliant
- Joe Eddins of Vinita
- Darrell Gilbert of Tulsa
- Larry Glenn of Miami
- Rebecca Hamilton of Oklahoma City
- Terry Harrison of McAlester
- Wes Hilliard of Sulphur
- Terry Hyman of Leon
- Ryan Kiesel of Seminole
- Lucky Lamons of Tulsa
- Al Lindsey of Oklahoma City
- Mike Mass of Hartshorne
- Ray McCarter of Marlow
- Jeannie McDaniel of Tulsa
- Ryan McMullen of Burns Flat
- Jerry McPeak of Warner
- Ray Miller of Quinton
- Danny Morgan of Prague
- Richard D. Morrissette of Oklahoma City
- Bill Nations of Norman
- Bob Plunk of Ada
- Paul D. Roan of Tishomingo
- Wade Rousselot of Wagoner
- Mike Shelton of Oklahoma City
- Ben Sherrer of Pryor Creek
- Jerry Shoemake of Morris
- Jabar Shumate of Tulsa
- Glen Bud Smithson of Sallisaw
- Barbara Staggs of Muskogee
- Joe Sweeden of Pawhuska
- Opio Toure of Oklahoma City
- Dale Turner of Holdenville
- Purcy D. Walker of Elk City
Democrats undecided (1)
