Bills, bills, bills, then some more bills

Opinion

February 9, 2008

By Stoney Harcastle The McAlester News-Capital Sat Feb 09, 2008, 02:50 PM CST

Head for cover folks, and the faint-hearted should keep their nitro pills handy — the Oklahoma Legislature is back in session. Already, more than 2,000 new bills have been filed for consideration. These new bills include everything from smoking in cars to ethics. Then of course, the Republicans want tax cuts, even though there is not enough money to fund education and maintain our roads.

It appears Speaker of the House, Republican Lance Cargill, is trying to set an example as to how to cut your tax burden. According to the Oklahoma Tax Commission, Cargill has not filed a state income tax return for the past two years. He says he just forgot, that he is human (we all assumed he was). Then Cargill, an attorney, of course, passed the buck and blamed his accountant.

However, the speaker was not the only member of the house who failed to pony up their taxes. There were some others from both parties. One Democrat, Jabar Shumate, is having a difficult time explaining why he hasn’t paid state income taxes for five years. Of course, he says he forgot. This raises the question: If these people’s memories are this poor, should they be re-elected? But I’ll bet they remember to show up on payday.

And to show his disdain for paying taxes, Cargill has been late filing his property tax. Since property taxes pay teachers’ salaries and he fights giving them a raise, maybe that is why he is always late. Just an error he says.

As the presidential primary grows near, the mud- slinging gets heavier. Hardly a day passes that I don’t get some e-mail slandering a candidate. Most is untrue. If you want to check out the authenticity of these messages, log onto www.snopes.com. Snopes is an impartial check for truth service paid for by advertising.

Old Bush Hog Bob from Bugger Flats says “Strange how several preachers and deacons catch a one-day virus on Super Bowl Sunday and have to stay home.”

Remember during this cold weather, don’t stick your tongue to a frosted flagpole.

Stoney Hardcastle is a writer, novelist and retired creative writing instructor who lives in Wilburton.

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