“The fact is, you cannot lock up votes and say ‘unless you give me 100% of everything I want, I’m gonna take my toys and go home’, you just can’t do that.”
It’s how Gov. Mary Fallin describes the growing battle between Republicans and Democrats in the legislature over how to resolve the state’s budget crisis. And it has become more of a battle over oil and gas and whether to increase the gross production tax on the industry.
Interviewed this week on News 9 and by OK Energy Today, the governor indicated she would consider looking at such a move.
“As long as it didn’t destroy the industry,” quickly added the Governor. “You gotta remember, the oil and gas industry makes up 25 percent of our economy.”
The governor said an increase in the gross production tax is being “looked at but we can’t keep playing these games, saying if you do this, I’m gonna do that and if you don’t do this, I’m gonna lock up my group—–which is where we’re at right now.”
Asked whether House Minority leader Scott Inman, a candidate for Governor, went too far this week in accusing Republicans of trying to protect the oil and gas industry.
“Representative Inman’s not been helpful because last year he locked his whole group up to vote against everything, every solution that we had on the table for revenue. This year, he’s going on that same path.”
Listen to the interview of Gov. Fallin on News 9.
