Fallin issues executive order for special session

TULSA — Friday afternoon, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin issued an executive order officially calling the legislature into special session beginning September 25th.

She told lawmakers she wants them to focus on four key issues:

• Address the immediate budget shortfall created by the loss of the $215 million cigarette fee revenue.
  
• Have the option to address a long-term solution to continuing budget shortfalls.
• Address the need for more consolidation and other efficiencies in all areas of state government.
• Clarify intended exemptions to the new 1.25 percent sales tax on vehicles.
• Address a needed pay increase for K-12 public school teachers.

It will potentially be a tough nut to crack for lawmakers, who were unable to solve any of those issues during the regular session.

Democrats felt that Republicans failed to negotiate in good faith, specifically on the Democrats’ plan to increase the gross production tax on oil and natural gas.

Republicans countered that Democrats were being obstructive, refusing to support a tax on cigarettes.

Unable to get the 75 percent supermajority required to pass that tax, Republicans passed a “fee” on cigarettes, which the Oklahoma Supreme Court threw out.

The court’s decision left a $215 million budget gap - which, including matching federal funds, is closer to $500 million.

That, in turn, triggered the necessity for a special session, because by law the budget must balance.

The special session is likely to be stormy, since so far neither side has indicated its likely to budge on the positions held during the regular session.

But with midterm elections right around the corner, there may be some who would rather bend and try to build a compromise, rather than hold the line and have to face angry voters next year.