It’s one thing for Democrats to criticize the governor in her plan to raise taxes. But now she’s opposed by Representative Kevin Calvey, a Republican from Oklahoma City.
He’s also calling for a big cut in the subsidies for the wind industry in the state. Calvey said the state could save another $200 million to $300 million by cutting the subsidies to the wind companies.
He added that critics of the wind subsidies have long argued that most of Oklahoma’s subsidies to wind companies go to out-of-state companies and over 30 percent go to companies in foreign countries, and the subsidies create very few jobs given the huge cost to taxpayers.
“Just making these changes along could solve the state’s budget problems,” said Calvey who also wants fat cut from the state government including the education department. “And we’d have some left over to get started on raising teacher pay.”
“The government should operate the same as Oklahoma families are forced to in lean economic times. Families don’t have the luxury of wasting money instead of streamlining their spending habits,” he said. “Government should have to tighten its belt without squeezing more money from already overburdened taxpayers.”