When Democrat candidate for Oklahoma governor Drew Edmondson said this week he wanted to raise the state’s gross production tax on oil and gas to fund mental health services, it caught the attention of one industry group. And it wasn’t kind in what it had to say about Edmondson’s proposal.
The Oklahoma Oil and Gas Association’s President Chad Warmington blasted Edmondson for again targeting oil and gas.
“Drew Edmondson is at it again. First he said he wants to raise GPT to fund education. Then he said he wants to use the money for transportation. Now he says he wants to support mental health services with that revenue,” OKOGA President Chad Warmington said. “We are baffled Edmondson doesn’t understand you can’t spend one dollar three times.”
Edmondson’s proposal came during a forum on Tuesday held by the Oklahoma Behavioral Health Association in Oklahoma City.
“We are also frightened to learn Edmondson thinks one industry can support every state function,” Warmington said. “Oklahoma needs a leader who will make government more efficient and stabilize revenue, rather than making teachers and health providers more dependent on a volatile industry.”
Edmondson maintains his plan to raise taxes would make sure Oklahoma has the money to increase its investment in the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.
“It’s the right thing to do because someone who suffers from addiction or mental illness has a physical or mental problem that is a sickness that can be treated,” Edmondson said. “If somebody doesn’t want to govern with their heart and would rather govern with their head and their pocketbook, then it is also the smart thing to do. It saves us money in the long run.”
Republican Kevin Stitt, the candidate from Tulsa said the state can fund the agency without raising taxes.“This is not rocket science; I’ve got 49 other states giving me ideas on how to fund stuff.”