OEA Panicked by TABOR

This article was originally posted on the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs website on 11/23/2005.
To see the entire article, visit http://www.ocpathink.org/blog.asp#843

Oklahoma Labor Union: See a TABOR Petitioner? Call Security!
Posted To OCPA Blog By Brandon Dutcher

Oklahoma’s organized left is now officially panic-stricken regarding the proposed Taxpayer Bill of Rights in Oklahoma. One indication: an e-mail distributed yesterday by the state’s largest school-employee labor union telling folks to “be on the lookout” for TABOR signature gatherers: “If you see a petitioner while shopping this weekend, contact the malls … and tell them that you are being bothered by their petitioning. … To have them removed, contact the mall office or security.”

Make no mistake, the left has every reason to be concerned about this proposed spending limitation. A statewide telephone survey of 500 registered voters conducted last week by Cole Hargrave Snodgrass & Associates found the idea is ridiculously popular, as in 74 percent to 17 percent. See for yourself:

“It has been proposed that Oklahoma adopt an amendment to our state constitution that would restrict the rate of growth in government spending to no more than the rate of inflation plus the rate of population growth. That is, for example, if we had three percent inflation and one percent population growth, government spending could increase no more than four percent for that year. If the state received excess revenues, they would be placed in a reserve fund for emergencies and then, when the reserve fund is full, it would be returned to the taxpayers. Would you favor or oppose such an amendment? (After response, ask: Would you say you strongly favor/oppose or only somewhat favor/oppose that amendment?)

Strongly favor…..45%
Somewhat favor…..29%
Somewhat oppose…..8%
Strongly oppose…..9%
Undecided (vol.)…..9%

So it’s only logical that the left would use the scare tactics below (amply refuted here) to try to stop TABOR before it has a chance to get to the ballot.