Another FallinFail: Tulsa World - Budget Hole Doesn't Prevent Income Tax Rate Cut

I think this title should be changed to Budget Hoe Doesn’t Prevent Income Tax Rate Cut… but that’s just me.
Told you so…. (emphasis below is mine)

“Gov. Mary Fallin, whose budget calls for agency cuts of up to 5 percent in fiscal 2012, argues that reduction of the tax rate yet again is a logical extension of the message taxpayers sent in the November election. She claims that the mandated reduction will stimulate the economy and make the state more business friendly and more competitive with other states. Will this income tax cut do something that the previous ones haven’t?

Come on.

Are businesses seriously going to look at this state and say, “Oklahoma, what an economic Garden of Eden?” and overlook the fact that the quality of life here is eroding by the day?

Oklahoma’s state services are woefully underfunded. The education system is being starved. Roads and infrastructure are mediocre and in many cases are crumbling. The health and welfare of Oklahoma’s citizens don’t appear to be a high priority for those holding the purse strings.

But, hey, never mind all that, the fatter cats get this great reduced tax rate of 5.25 percent. “

See… It’s what I’ve been saying.  The most important part of this piece is:

“The state has suffered enormous revenue losses and gone through a series of tax cuts over the past several years. It’s also gone through some staggering cutbacks in state services, and faces a yawning budget hole of at least $500 million in the next fiscal year.”

Dr Phil would say “If you always do what you’ve always done… you’ll always be where you always are….”  If the state has consistently cut taxes… and cut services and spending for things like education, roads, and other such things fall asunder our question must then be - at what point do you finally think about changing course?  Honestly, does Governor Fallin intend to run the state into the ground before she finally admits that her republican “Cut and Spend” policy is not only reckless and irresponsible failing to make Oklahoma the bastion of business that everyone claims it will be?

FallinFail Tip:  Cut and Spend doesn’t work.