OK Legislators’ Blog: No Property Tax Reform This Year
By Rep. Jason Murphey
One of the bills that was lost late in the session this year was property tax reform in the form of SJR-5. This was probably the single most disappointing occurrence of the session.
Last April, chances are that you received your property tax assessment. I would also guess that regardless of whether or not your property appreciated in value, your bill reflects a 5% increase in your payable assessment over last year. This is the time of year when my office receives calls or e-mails from citizens experiencing the challenge of coming up with a larger-than-ever property tax payment. Second only to road improvements, the issue of higher property taxes is of major concern to my constituents.
SJR-5 would have allowed the people to vote on decreasing the 5% assessment increase cap to 3%.
I believe property tax to be the most unfair form of taxation. This tax actually punishes a person for land ownership and taxes them year after year for the same property. Read more…
Asking for Constituent Input for Next Year’s Agenda
Hello again, everybody! As the dust continues to settle after the 2009 session of the Oklahoma Legislature, political observers are looking at how this year was different.
A new majority party took control and the big question was how members would respond to their new roles. What should never change are the fundamental principles that guide individual senators.
Throughout the session, I was far less concerned with partisan issues than I was with getting things done for my district and our state. That approach, and the fierceness with which I tackle specific issues, will never change so long as I have the opportunity to serve as your senator.
While there still are a few bills awaiting the governor’s signature, nine of the bills I sponsored in the Senate have become law. While that is a relatively large number to make it through the process, a number of bills I sponsored fell by the wayside – most often in the House of Representatives – due to partisan politics. Read more…
I agree that property taxes are out of control. But just capping them at 3% instead of 5%, all this does is puts more pressure on the city or county gov’t to increase other fees or other taxes to make up the difference or cut services.
The real reform is to go after why there is automatic 5% each year. Tax accessors feel the pressure from local govt to insure funding revenue. That is where you should reform.
Comment by Wayne Rohde — June 10, 2009 @ 7:11 am
It’s nearly the end of June — and three weeks have passed since this last post here. Before that, a month or so went by between this group of posts and the last activity.
Can we really consider OKPNS a legitimate “news” blog (if it ever really was) anymore? Or is it time to close the curtain on OKPNS?
Fortunately, there are newer and better blogs popping up covering Oklahoma politics — and wouldn’t you know it? They’re even hosted by people that actually live in the state.
Comment by Reality — June 27, 2009 @ 2:35 pm
I hope you will order the DVD Maafa21. It is a stunning 2 hour documentary on Abortion and Black Genocide in Modern AMERICA . See clips here: http://www.maafa21.com
Comment by Rapnsum — July 1, 2009 @ 11:44 am
What is needed is nobody in OK to pay their property taxes. It says nothing in the US constitution about paying property taxes. If everyone did not pay their property taxes, it would put the state in check. If you make you money, you should keep it plain and simple.
Comment by Patrick — December 8, 2009 @ 5:46 pm