Updates from Oklahoma Speaker of the House, Chris Benge

Here are a few notes from a meeting this afternoon with Speaker Benge...

Oklahoma Workers Comp. Reform:
Changes will include reducing the number of judges from ten to eight.

State Budget:
Projections for state income have continually been missed- causing legislators to have to scramble to find funds and cut expenses. Benge explained estimates have been lower to better reflect the reduced income to the State of Oklahoma. Cuts have been minimized in the education and roads sectors but have been required in order to balance the budget.

Taxes:
A Supreme Court ruling established the ground work that It is possible to assess an ad valorem tax on intangible property which could include the value of the brand of your business. SCARY!!!! The state legislature created a revenue neutral tax of $25 for business to be a stop-gap measure to prevent abuse of this potential threat to businesses. Benge explains he does not support a new tax/fee but the dangers of government agencies abusing this new-found funding source could be disastrous. The $25 fee is directly deductible on your taxes.

Speaker Benge described many of the choices state leads have been forced to make this legislative session fall between Bad and Terrible- in many cases, good options were simply not available.

The best ways to communicate with your elected officials are through email at www.houseok.gov and then follow up with a handwritten letter. Form emails, while noticed, carry less weight and influence than personal communication.