Added steps taken to deal with Oklahoma truck tag problems

<br>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The Oklahoma Tax Commission took steps to deal with a truck tag controversy, hiring an attorney who will work with other states and creating the new position of internal audit

Friday, October 4th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The Oklahoma Tax Commission took steps to deal with a truck tag controversy, hiring an attorney who will work with other states and creating the new position of internal audit director.

``This is the direction we need to be taking,'' said Thomas E. Kemp Jr., commission chairman. ``I hope it takes care of these problems.''

The changes approved Thursday are the latest since a multicounty grand jury began investigating the handling of fees paid by out-of-state truckers for tags and cab cards _ a type of proof of registration.

Seven people have been indicted on felony charges of conspiring to defraud the state.

Former U.S. Attorney Pat Ryan, a key prosecutor in the Oklahoma City bombing case, was hired to handle complaints from other states. He will be paid $175 per hour.

Commissioners had been using the agency's own attorneys to deal with other states' complaints.

The internal audit director will make $50,000 to $65,000 per year. Commissioners also are planning to hire outside experts later to help the director prevent employee fraud.

Four of the indicted employees worked in the motor vehicle division. The other three were agents hired by truckers to get tags and cab cards.

Grand jurors allege the agents kept thousands of dollars in trucker fees intended for the state. It also is alleged the agents bribed Tax Commission employees to help in the schemes.

In August, tax commissioners voted to reorganize the motor vehicle division. They started with replacing the longtime director and deputy director.

Commissioners also are considering an agency-wide reorganization.

``There's always room for improvement,'' Commissioner Jerry Johnson said.

Oklahoma cooperates with 47 other states and Canadian provinces to collect and split trucker fees. The fees are based on how many miles a trucker expects to drive per year in each state.

Illinois officials are demanding more than $15 million, saying the Oklahoma Tax Commission looked the other way while truckers' agents filed false mileage projections to get cheaper tags.