FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Ray Carter, House Media		 Capitol: (405) 557-7421  Contact: State Rep. Thad Balkman		 Capitol: (405) 557-7386			 Norman: (405) 447-4988			  Voter Opposition to Tax Increases Obvious Long Before Vote  OKLAHOMA CITY (September 14) - Oklahomans' overwhelming rejection of a fuel tax increase on Tuesday simply reaffirms the state's long-standing opposition to tax increases, a state lawmaker noted today. 	"If the special interest groups had paid attention to the voters, they would have known this special election was a waste of precious time and state dollars," said State Rep. Thad Balkman, R-Norman. "The people of Oklahoma have consistently voted against tax increases." 	State Question 723 was rejected by 87 percent of voters, the largest margin of defeat for any state question in Oklahoma history. The last state question to be rejected by a similar margin was State Question 349, which would have increased the state sales tax from 2 percent to 3 percent. That proposal was opposed by 86 percent of voters in 1952. 	State Question 723 would have increased Oklahoma fuel taxes and dedicated the new money to road maintenance. The cash would have been placed in a constitutional "lockbox" so the funding could not be diverted. 	Balkman noted that Oklahoma voters have rejected similar proposals in the past. 	For example, 67 percent of voters opposed the creation of a lockbox for fuel tax and road fees in 1950. State Question 326 would have amended the Oklahoma Constitution to prohibit "the diversion of any highway users' revenues, including gasoline taxes, registration fees and operations' licenses ... from the exclusive purpose of highway construction, maintenance and administration ..." 	Oklahoma voters have expressed their conservative financial views by opposing other plans touted as a cure for road problems, Balkman noted. For example, 76 percent of voters opposed State Question 485 in 1972. That proposal would have allowed the state to incur $250 million in debt (the equivalent of $1.16 billion today) "for the purpose of providing safe highways, eliminating hazardous highway conditions, acquiring, constructing, reconstructing, [and] extending and improving highway facilities ..." 	In 1919, State Question 100 was opposed by 71 percent of Oklahoma voters. That plan would have authorized the state to assume $50 million in bond debt (more than $560 million in 2005 dollars) to build highways. 	"The people of Oklahoma have always voted for government to live within its means," Balkman said. "Tuesday's vote was just another verse of the same song the people have been singing since statehood." 	Going back to the earliest days of Oklahoma government, he said state voters have always opposed tax increases, government debt, efforts to increase the power and pay of the Oklahoma Legislature ... and the United Nations. 	In 1926, for example, 82 percent of voters opposed State Question 144, which would have increased the compensation of lawmakers to $10 per diem ($110 in 2005 dollars) and also increased lawmakers' travel reimbursement to 10 cents per mile (or $1.10 per mile in 2005 dollars). The proposal would have also limited legislative sessions to 90 days.  	In 1938, voters shot down another plan involving lawmaker pay. State Question 243 would have reduced the number of state representatives from 117 to 77 and reduced the number of senators to 34, giving each member of the Legislature an annual salary of $2,400 (or $33,250 in 2005 dollars). The proposal was rejected by 74 percent of Oklahoma voters. 	In 1964, voters again opposed a plan to increase state lawmakers' pay. State Question 414, which was rejected by 76 percent of voters, would have given lawmakers $25 per day per diem and paid them 10 cents per mile in travel reimbursement.  	One of the most unusual state questions to go down in flames went to the voters in 1950. 	State Question 344, which was opposed by 77 percent of Oklahoma voters, would have required the governor to inform the President and the U.S. Congress  "that it is the wish of the people of Oklahoma" that the United States support efforts to "strengthen the United Nations and make it a world federal government able to prevent war." 	Balkman noted that State Question 723's fuel-tax increase was opposed by an even greater margin. 	"Oklahomans hate taxes more than they hate the United Nations - and that's saying something," Balkman said. "Hopefully, this election will finally convince the special interest groups that voters aren't willing to simply hand over their hard-earned money to every group that claims a pet project is an 'emergency.'"