Bye-bye, penny? Cong. Lucas' bill to end penny production passes committee

Lucas' Penny Bill Passes out of Committee

Washington, DC (July 24th) – President Trump's call to eliminate production of the penny took a major step forward with the passage of Congressman Frank D. Lucas' legislation – the MINT Act – passing out of the Financial Services Committee. The legislation passed as part of the Common Cents Act authored by House Conference Chair Lisa McClain (R-MI), whose bill text was replaced by the MINT Act.

The Modernize and Improve our National Tender (MINT) Act would cease the production of the penny while ensuring that every penny still in circulation remains as legal tender. It would also allow the Mint to produce the nickel with nickel-plated zinc, giving greater flexibility to producer cheaper coins.

Attorney General O'Connor applauds win over Biden unconstitutional ban on state tax cuts

Attorney General O'Connor Applauds Win Over Biden Unconstitutional Ban on State Tax Cuts

OKLAHOMA CITY - Attorney General John O’Connor announced today the State won its suit against the U.S. Department of Treasury over a provision in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that prohibits states accepting ARPA funds from cutting taxes.

“This is a great victory for the State and for our new State Reserved Powers Protection initiative started by the Legislature, which fights federal overreach,” said General O’Connor.

"States set state tax policy, not the federal government. Once again, a court stopped national Democrats from another attempted unconstitutional infringement on states' rights. Oklahoma could grant tax relief for businesses and all citizens this year while also making record education and savings investments because our state manages its own finances extremely well. Even though Oklahoma never would have been subject to the attempted restriction due to surplus state revenues, it was important to stand up and challenge this obvious federal overreach. We appreciate the attorney general's office for continuing to push back against unconstitutional federal policy by using the authority and funding authorized by the Legislature for that important purpose,” said House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka.

Attorneys General ask Treasury Secretary Yellen to clarify stimulus language infringing on states' rights

Attorney General Hunter Asks Treasury Secretary Yellen to Clarify Position on Federal Control of State Finances 

OKLAHOMA CITY – Attorney General Mike Hunter today sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen asking her to clarify whether the last-minute provision added to the latest coronavirus stimulus package strips state legislatures of their authority to provide further economic relief to their citizens by reducing state tax rates, or risk paying back federal aid.

The letter, signed by 21 attorneys general, says if the intent was to deny states the ability to cut taxes in any manner whatsoever, the act would likely constitute the greatest attempted invasion of state sovereignty by Congress in the history of the Republic.

The troublesome language in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 prohibits states receiving a portion of the $1.9 trillion relief package from cutting taxes until 2024. If a state fails to comply, that state’s government would be required to repay the Department of the Treasury the amount equal to the tax cut.

Attorney General Hunter said the Treasury Department has given little guidance on what the language means, and that it could discourage actions by states intended to help citizens.

Attorney General Hunter: unmarked stimulus debit cards not always a scam

Attorney General Hunter: Unmarked Stimulus Debit Cards Not Always a Scam

OKLAHOMA CITY – In response to reports that some Americans are mistakenly discarding stimulus debit cards, Attorney General Mike Hunter today urged Oklahomans to not assume the unmarked envelopes containing cards are junk mail.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced last week the agencies had begun the process of sending nearly 4 million Visa debit cards loaded with the $1,200 stimulus payments to Americans.

The debit cards are arriving at households in plain envelopes, leading to confusion and individuals mistaking it for junk mail or fraudulent activity.

Attorney General Hunter is encouraging Oklahomans to open such correspondence and ensure they are not accidentally throwing away their stimulus payments.

Hern, Oklahoma congressmembers write letter asking Mnuchin to reopen IRS call centers

Hern leads letter asking Mnuchin to reopen IRS call centers

TULSA, OK (May 7th) – Representative Kevin Hern (OK-01) sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin urging him to reopen IRS call centers to provide assistance to Americans having difficulties accessing their stimulus funds, tax returns, and many other issues.

IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers help millions of Americans every year with their telephone hotlines. These hotlines have been unmanned due to COVID-19, leaving taxpayers and Congressional offices alike in the dark.

“With so much confusion and misinformation circulating about the stimulus payments and 2019 tax filings, the expertise from taxpayer advocates at the IRS has never been more necessary,” said Rep. Hern. “I feel the same frustration as my constituents. When people come to my office for help with the IRS, we utilize the Taxpayer Assistance Center hotline to resolve their issues. If no one answers the phone at the IRS, there’s nowhere to turn for help. I hope this letter encourages Secretary Mnuchin to expedite the reopening of Taxpayer Assistance Centers or develop ways for taxpayer advocates to monitor the hotline from home. The people need answers, and I don’t know how much longer they can wait.”

Oklahoma Attorney General warns of scams surrounding Coronavirus relief funds

Attorney General Hunter Warns of Scams Surrounding Coronavirus Relief Funds

OKLAHOMA CITY (April 3rd, 2020) – Attorney General Mike Hunter today issued a warning about potential fraud to Oklahomans awaiting their economic impact payments from the federal government.

The economic impact payments are part of the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Signed by Pres. Donald Trump in March, the act included funding for emergency assistance to Americans and businesses financially struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Attorney General Hunter said the economic impact payments provide much-needed relief for those struggling, but create another opportunity for scammers attempting to cash in or steal identities.

“The majority of individuals who qualify for the one-time payment don’t have to do anything except wait for the money to be deposited in their bank accounts or checks will come in the mail,” Attorney General Hunter said. “Although some details are still being finalized, I encourage Oklahomans to stay patient. Only get information from trusted sources, ignore text messages or emails claiming to expedite the process and contact my office about any suspicious offers. Regrettably, these scams, and more, are already beginning to surface. Oklahomans who are anxiously awaiting this money must, nevertheless, be on high alert.”

On Monday, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service announced the distribution of payments will begin in the next three weeks. The payments will be automatically delivered, with no action required for most individuals. However, some taxpayers who typically do not file returns will need to submit a simple tax return to receive a payment.

To learn about eligibility and review more resources on Coronavirus tax relief, visit: https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus.

The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit offers the following advice for avoiding fraud and scams related to the Coronavirus:

• Federal agencies will not email or text individuals regarding Coronavirus economic impact payments. If an unsolicited email or text comes from a federal agency with information about the money or anything else related to the Coronavirus, it is a scam that could infect someone’s computer with malware or ransomware.  
• There is no fee to receive stimulus money. If someone says there is, they are a con artist, and you should terminate the conversation.
• No one can expedite payments. Do not trust anyone claiming to be able to perform this service.
• Stay updated by visiting the U.S. Department of Treasury at https://home.treasury.gov/, or the IRS at https://www.irs.gov/.

For more resources on Coronavirus scams and contact information for the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit, click here.

The Conservative View: Champagne Taste & Beer Pocket Book

This week's Conservative View, by outgoing Adair County Commissioner Russell Turner (R-Stilwell). [Russell recently lost his reelection bid in the Republican primary on July 27th]

The Conservative View

by Russell Turner

Champagne Taste & Beer Pocket Book

If you are like most people, whenever you open a phone bill you will be astonished by all of the fees that are tacked on the basic service of your bill. Many times the bill will increase 50 to 60% over what you thought you would have to pay. Government is always looking for some kind of fee to raise more revenue. It is a sad fact that we Americans can be the most gullible people on the earth. We listen to all of the absurd promises that some politician makes and never question where the funds will come from to finance the big promise. We Americans have a bad habit of wanting something and not wanting to pay for it. I was taught a long time ago that there is no such thing as a free lunch. Back when the current financial problems started, there were cries about the mess that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were in. The main problem with those lending institutions was that the government was pressuring lenders to make loans to people that were buying more house than they could afford or were unable to pay back the loan in the first place. I recently read about a proposed fee that will affect all home buyers in this country.

The U.S. Treasury Department is considering a new mortgage fee to fund the backstops it gives for loans purchased through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Analysts say the fee may be up to 1.5 percent of the borrower's mortgage, which would be a big increase from the current 0.25 percent that both Fannie and Freddie currently charge mortgage borrowers. This 1.5% fee could be in addition to the current .25%. To put it into perspective, if you obtain a mortgage for $300,000 you could see an additional fee of up to $4,500 ... and the additional cost would just keep rising with the size of the loan. For any of you that thought the bailouts and stimulus spending didn’t cost anything, this new fee blows that conclusion away. 

Buying a house is not a lot different than buying a new car. The salesman will tell you that for just a little more you can have a better stereo, better upholstery, etc.  It is sad that we Americans often have a champagne taste on a beer pocket book. We Americans need to start living within our means and stop thinking that someone else will get us out of the jam that far too often we create ourselves. 

If you wish to contact Russell Turner, or want to subscribe to his email loop, email him at rdrepublican@windstream.net.

Obama's Appointees and Tax Problems

For some reason, President Obama's appointees seem to have one common streak among them: tax problems.

Timothy Geithner, Treasury Secretary: $34,000 of late income taxes.
Nancy Killefer, Chief Performance Officer: Tax lien for non-payment of unemployment compensation taxes.
Tom Daschle: Health and Human Services Secretary: $145,000 of late income taxes.

As a result, both Killefer and Daschle have now withdrawn.

The question of the hour is, can President Obama appoint someone who has no tax problems?