Senate Finance Chair Says Committee Work Is Responsible and ‘Empowers Oklahoma’s Middle Class’

As the Senate Finance Committee completed its work on Senate bills assigned to it this morning, the panel’s chair, Senator Jay Paul Gumm said the work completed by the committee is responsible and shows a deep respect for Oklahoma’s middle class.

Senator Jay Paul Gumm said the committee considered and approved upwards of $523 million in tax cuts, many of which are targeted to middle class families or to grow Oklahoma’s economy.

“I left just about every tax cut option on the table,” Gumm said. “As we go through the legislative process, we should leave no stone unturned as we look for ways to empower Oklahoma’s middle class, and I believe the Senate Finance Committee has done just that.”

The lawmaker said he has reservations about proposals that would cripple the state’s ability to provide critical services to Oklahomans.

“We have a responsibility to protect important programs like senior nutrition, public schools, scholarships for high school students, and rural fire protection,” the senator said. “We must work responsibly to pass legislation that will create opportunities to make a better future for our children, not take away those opportunities.”

Gumm said he took a nonpartisan approach to scheduling bills because he believes including everyone in the legislation process, allows the voices of all Oklahomans to be heard at the Capitol.

“The Finance Committee’s job is to strike the balance between keeping taxes as low as possible and providing the critical services Oklahomans depend on to create a brighter future for all our citizens,” he said. “With the committee’s work half complete, I am very pleased with what we have accomplished.”

The Senate Finance Committee is the first stop in the legislative process for measures relating to tax. During the past three weeks, the committee considered dozens of bills, including components of Governor Henry’s tax cut package and the Senate Democrats’ agenda to “Empower Oklahoma’s Middle Class” including a back-to-school sales tax holiday and tax credits for retraining and education of employees of Oklahoma companies.

“The bills approved by the Finance Committee, including the Senate Democrats’ agenda to ‘Empower Oklahoma’s Middle Class’ through a back-to-school sales tax holiday and tax credits for life long learning, create a good blueprint as we work toward developing a responsible budget and revenue package,” Gumm said.
“Our program will put money back into the pockets of middle class families and small businesses while protecting our investments in public schools, health care, job creation and programs that help our most vulnerable citizens.”

The lawmaker concluded by saying the guiding principle for him is to create opportunity for working Oklahomans while making a brighter future for this state.