Republican Attacks Hide “Shameful Tax Policy,” According to Senate Finance Chair

Sen. Gumm says Democratic Tax Package helps people who need it most and is more pro-family.

An attack news release from Republican members of the Senate is little more than a smoke screen to hide a “shameful tax policy,” according to the chair of the Senate Finance Committee.

Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant, made the statement in response to one of a flurry of politically charged attack news releases issued by Republicans in the Senate and House of Representatives.

“The truth is their plan to give tax cuts for the wealthy cannot stand the light of day, so they have to hide it in the smoke of attack news releases and false charges,” said Gumm, also a Senate assistant majority leader.

Gumm specifically responded to a charge by Sen. Jim Williamson, a former Republican leader, who complained his bill to do away with the so-called “marriage penalty” in state income tax law was not heard in the Senate Finance Committee. In one of a series of Republican attack news release issued Wednesday, Williamson made the following statement in a news release:

“Apparently, Sen. Gumm supports the marriage penalty in Oklahoma, or he would have heard this bill. This is very disappointing because, if anything, we should be encouraging marriage in the tax code, not penalizing it.”

Gumm said the truth is that the Senate Democrats’ HOPE Tax Cut Plan, which has yet to be considered by the full Republican-controlled House of Representatives, would give a bigger tax break to working families than the Williamson bill.

In addition, Gumm said, the tax cut that is reportedly Republicans’ top priority is “shamefully” skewed to benefit the wealthy at the expense of working families.

“Senator Williamson is desperately trying to hide from the fact that Republicans’ proposal to roll back the income tax rate is targeted to benefit the wealthiest of Oklahomans,” Gumm said. “As bad as their proposal is for working families, I certainly understand why they are trying to hide it.”

According to a study by the Oklahoma Tax Commission, a family earning $50,000 or less gets the bigger tax cut under the Senate Democrats’ HOPE Plan, while the Republican income tax plan is skewed to give a much larger tax cut to the wealthy and super-wealthy.

For example, a working family with a $50,000 income would see their income tax drop by more than $500 under the Senate Democrats’ plan. That same working family would see less than a $100 per year tax cut from the Republican proposal.

A family with a million-dollar income would get the same $500 tax cut as the working family under the Democrats’ plan. However, the Republican proposal gives that millionaire family a tax cut approximately 42 times greater than the working family would get.

“For years, the Republicans have grown their numbers by getting hard working Oklahomans to vote against their self interest by hiding their real agenda,” Gumm said. “I do not intend to let them keep their tax policies – policies that benefit the wealthy at the expense of working families – from the light of day.”

Gumm concluded by stating his belief that the state has “a moral responsibility” to lift up working families.

“Republicans may put their faith in the wealthy,” he said. “As for me, my priority will be to give every Oklahoma family – regardless of the size of their bank account – the opportunity to receive every blessing this state has to offer.”

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