It’s Tuesday! If you just joined our list via the online Halt the Tax Cut form, welcome! Each week we do our best to give you a brief update that will help you take good information and translate it into action.
In this email:
- Who are the Forgotten Fourteen?
- Capitol Visits to Halt the Tax Cut this week!
- The Priority Wins to celebrate so far!
Who are the Forgotten Fourteen?
As you know, the past few weeks we have been urging you to contact your legislators to halt an ill-advised income tax cut that will require even deeper cuts to critical services that are already badly underfunded. Almost 1,000 of you have responded by sending emails through our simple online form – that’s a great response and we sincerely appreciate your involvement.
Our tracking reports show that some individual legislators, especially in the metro areas, have heard from over 80 constituents on this – the message is getting through loud and clear. Others, however, in places like Lawton, Ada, Broken Bow, Guthrie, Grove and many other cities and towns, have been contacted hardly at all. But we know that Oklahomans in those areas and throughout Oklahoma care just as much their schools, libraries, health care, parks, museums, and all other state services that are in danger of more budget cuts.
So we’ve decided to have a contest to see if we can get folks in those forgotten districts more engaged. We’ve identified 14 districts where Senators aren’t hearing from their constituents. Whichever of these “forgotten fourteen” sees the biggest growth in emails through our online form over the next two weeks will win! The prize: a party in your district with the staff of OK Policy after session!
The “Forgotten Fourteen” are:
- Josh Brecheen, SD 6 – Durant. Tell him we need to Halt the Tax Cut HERE.
- Randy Bass, SD 32 – Lawton, Tell him we need to Halt the Tax Cut HERE.
- Don Barrington, SD 31 – Lawton, Tell him we need to Halt the Tax Cut HERE.
- Susan Paddack, SD 13 – Tell her we need to to Halt the Tax Cut HERE.
- Larry Boggs, SD 7 – Ada, Tell him we need to Halt the Tax Cut HERE.
- Jack Fry, SD 42 – Midwest City, Tell him we need to Halt the Tax Cut HERE.
- AJ Griffen, SD 20 – Guthrie, Tell her we need to to Halt the Tax Cut HERE.
- Kim David, SD 18 – Porter, Tell her we need to to Halt the Tax Cut HERE.
- Jason Smalley, SD 28 – Stroud, Tell him we need to Halt the Tax Cut HERE.
- Darcey Jech, SD 26 – Kingfisher, Tell him we need to Halt the Tax Cut HERE.
- Mike Schultz, SD 38 – Altus, Tell him we need to Halt the Tax Cut HERE.
- Wayne Shaw, SD 3 – Grove, Tell him we need to Halt the Tax Cut HERE.
- Joseph Silk, SD 5 – Broken Bow, Tell him we need to Halt the Tax Cut HERE.
- Frank Simpson, SD 14 – Tell him we need to Halt the Tax Cut HERE.
We’re focusing here on Senate Districts, but don’t worry – when you fill out the form, your email will also go to your House member, the Speaker and the Senate Pro Tem.
If you are someone who isn’t in one of these Forgotten Fourteen please contact your friends and family who are. They need to hear from you so they can win!
Ask them to use this online form and these Halt the Tax Cut talking points. And of course, wherever you are in the state, keep the emails and phone calls coming.
Your legislators are hesitant to take action without a flood of concern from all of you. Take action today!
Capitol Visits to Halt the Tax Cut this week!
The BEST way to communicate is usually face to face. Call your legislators to see when is the best time to meet with them and meet with our team in the Hall of Governors for a coaching session before you go in to visit your legislators at these dates and times:
- 10 am Tuesday, April 28th with KaraJoy
- 2 pm Tuesday, April 28th with KaraJoy
- 10 am Wednesday, April 29th with Damario and Nikki
- 2 pm Wednesday, April 29th with Damario and Nikki
The Priority Wins to celebrate so far!
We’ve had some great wins this session on our Together OK priorities! That is great and it should give you courage for taking the steps mentioned above!
On curbing unnecessary tax breaks, the Legislature has passed HB 2182, which will put in place a rigorous evaluation system for tax incentives. A major step towards electoral reform is now in place with passage of SB 313, which will allow for online voter registration. A number of important criminal justice reform bills are moving forward, including HB 2168 that removes job restrictions on ex-felons; it’s passed the Legislature and was just signed by Governor Fallin. Finally, last week, the House wisely voted down SJR 4, one of two proposals to steer Oklahoma towards the dangerous and uncharted waters of a constitutional convention; the other measure, HJR 1018, wasn’t heard by the Senate and is dormant until at least next year.
You all are doing more to become engaged with public policy this year and it shows. Keep it up and lets be ready to get together to celebrate after the session ends. One more big push and we’re there!
