Oklahoma cigarette tax measure heading for vote

Tuesday, May 18th 2004, 5:04 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Members of a joint House-Senate conference committee reached an agreement Tuesday on a $140 million tobacco tax increase plan, setting up a showdown vote Thursday in the House.

House Speaker Larry Adair, D-Stilwell, said supporters "don't have the votes right now" to pass the bill "but we're working very hard."

The measure would send the question to a vote of the people on Nov. 3 if it were to pass the House and Senate.

Gov. Brad Henry, Adair and Senate President Pro Tem Cal Hobson met with health care officials, educators and other supporters of the plan earlier Tuesday and urged them to begin an all-out lobbying effort to pass the bill.

"Their message to them was pretty simple," said Paul Sund, Henry's communications director. "We've got two days to get a vote. We think this is a winnable situation. This is in the best interest of Oklahomans.

"Now those stakeholders are going to go out and lobby legislators to get this to a vote of the people."

He said the final bill is similar to one Henry detailed last week, which would raise the cigarette tax by a net of 55 cents per pack, with most of the money going to improve health care. Other funding was provided for a cancer research center and for the financially ailing trauma care system.

Also attending Tuesday's meeting was Republican Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin, who has voiced support for a tobacco tax plan.

At the meeting, there was discussion of a lack of support among House Republicans for the bill, with perhaps only two firm GOP votes.

But Fallin "indicated there was some support from Republican members," Adair said. "We're going to be optimistic about everyone."

Scott Meacham, Henry's finance secretary, said proponents of the bill have had difficulty getting GOP commitments.

The measure had been stuck in conference committee for several weeks amid speculation that it was in trouble.

Adair said he thinks most Oklahomans would vote for the plan if it is sent to the ballot. "The obstacle is here at the Capitol," he said.

Sund said the final bill provides "slightly more funding in trauma care and for smoking cessation."

Rep. Todd Hiett, R-Kellyville, House Republican leader, said he did not know how many Republicans would vote for the plan.

Hiett said a sizable number of House Democrats are also opposed to the bill.

"I think it will be a real steep uphill climb to get the votes for the current proposal," he said. "Our members haven't seen the bill yet, so it's difficult to say where they will land."

During negotiations on the bill, Henry made several concessions to Republicans in a bid to get their support, including increasing the amount of money that goes to the Tulsa area for indigent care.

Of the $140 million raised by the plan, $50 million would go to expand health care coverage and $50 million would be used to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates of doctors, hospitals and other health care providers.

The package also would eliminate the capital gains tax on Oklahoma property and investments held for five years and provide new funding at Oklahoma State University at Tulsa, which was not included in the original proposal.

Henry originally proposed a $130 million tax increase, which would have upped the price of cigarette tax by 52 cents per pack.