Budget & Tax , Good Government
Jonathan Small | September 28, 2017
Conservative leaders urge Oklahoma politicians to protect taxpayers
Jonathan Small
September 28, 2017
Dear Governor and State Lawmakers,
We are a coalition of conservative citizens, many of us serving in leadership of state or local organizations, who write to urge you to address the need for more consolidation and other efficiencies in all areas of state government and to resist raising taxes on your constituents.
Many Oklahoma families and businesses are struggling and have been forced to reduce their own spending. Indeed, Oklahomans lost more than $13 billion in taxable income and reduced purchases by $4.1 billion in one year alone when oil prices collapsed.
And yet, Oklahoma’s total state government spending is at an all-time high. The state is now on track to spend more money next year—more than $17.9 billion—than at any time in our history. If you believe that certain state services are not adequately funded, we urge you to prioritize spending rather than raise taxes.
“Limited government” and “lower taxes” have been winning campaign messages in Oklahoma over the last decade. Some candidates have even made written promises to oppose and vote against (or veto) “any and all efforts to increase taxes.” We encourage you to stay true to these principles and to oppose efforts to increase the burden of government on hard-working Oklahoma families.
Sincerely,
Jonathan Small
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA)
John Tidwell
Americans for Prosperity-Oklahoma
Grover Norquist
Americans for Tax Reform
Steve Curry
Republican National Committeeman for Oklahoma
Ronda Vuillemont-Smith
Tulsa 9.12 Project
Tom Newell
Former chairman, General Government Oversight and Accountability Committee, Oklahoma House of Representatives
Michael Bates
BatesLine.com
Brandon Arnold
National Taxpayers Union
Jamison Faught
MuskogeePolitico.com
Andrew Lopez
Canadian County Republican Party
Daniel Schneider
American Conservative Union
Charles W. Potts
Oklahoma Republican Party executive committee member
John Michener
Oklahoma Conservative Political Action Committee
Bunny Chambers
Eagle Forum of Oklahoma
Lisa B. Nelson
American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)
Ashley N. Varner
ALEC Action
Other signers will be added to the letter as the special legislative session continues.
Jonathan Small
President
Jonathan Small, C.P.A., serves as President and joined the staff in December of 2010. Previously, Jonathan served as a budget analyst for the Oklahoma Office of State Finance, as a fiscal policy analyst and research analyst for the Oklahoma House of Representatives, and as director of government affairs for the Oklahoma Insurance Department. Small’s work includes co-authoring “Economics 101” with Dr. Arthur Laffer and Dr. Wayne Winegarden, and his policy expertise has been referenced by The Oklahoman, the Tulsa World, National Review, the L.A. Times, The Hill, the Wall Street Journal and the Huffington Post. His weekly column “Free Market Friday” is published by the Journal Record and syndicated in 27 markets. A recipient of the American Legislative Exchange Council’s prestigious Private Sector Member of the Year award, Small is nationally recognized for his work to promote free markets, limited government and innovative public policy reforms. Jonathan holds a B.A. in Accounting from the University of Central Oklahoma and is a Certified Public Accountant.