After Three Letters To The Editor Collins Never Answers Why he Skipped The Grocery Tax Vote

I find it interesting that when you ask Rep Collins to be truthful, he calls it hatred. Tell me, are we expecting to much from Wallace Collins to be honest? Based on his response apparently so. Even after Collins' two letters to the editor and one letter from one of his supports they still never answered the question. Wallace belives he can dodge the question by pointing his finger at other politicans.
Bob



Editor, The Transcript: (Sunday's Paper)
It never ceases to amaze me at the amount of hatred that emanates from my political opponents. Now, in a letter published in The Transcript on May 25, Joseph Fairbanks is attacking me for a "phantom bill" vote that never happened.
It appears that he is being fed information by someone that is mistaken or confused.
As I have stated before, HB 3358 did not have any language pertaining to elimination of grocery sales tax. What he fails to note is that I did author two bills, two years in a row, that would have eliminated sales tax on groceries and over the counter medicine.
Those bills, HB 1838 and HB 1839, were never allowed to be heard, or voted on, by the Republican House Leadership. Furthermore, I did vote for an amendment by Rep. Morrissette that would have repealed the grocery sales tax. Unfortunately, that amendment was killed, in near straight party voting, by Mr. Fairbanks' party. Amazingly, the bill we attempted to amend, HB3103 by Rep. Gary Banz, R-MWC, wanted to exempt taxes on the sale of gold bars, bouillon, platinum, and rare coins. They chose gold over groceries.
I challenge Mr. Fairbanks to show us a single bill, introduced by a Republican this session, that would have removed the sales tax from groceries or medicine. They are the majority party in the House, and had ample opportunity to introduce and pass such a bill, if they so desired!
In addition to those votes, I signed on as a co author with Rep. Kris Steele, R-Shawnee, on HB2833. The bill would have exempted from sales tax, food and produce sold at the Farmer's Markets. Unfortunately, that part of the bill was taken out by the Senate. A check of my voting record shows that I have voted 98.4 percent of the time, covering thousands of votes. I'll put my record against anyone else at the Capitol. If the young Mr. Fairbanks is so concerned about attendance and voting records, I wonder why he isn't complaining about the disgraced former Speaker, who as one news story reported, had missed about 50 percent of the votes. Additionally, since the removal of sales tax from groceries is so important to Bobby Cleveland, Dave Spaulding, and Joseph Fairbanks, I wonder how many times they contacted the Speaker of the House to recommend my bills be heard?
REP. WALLACE COLLINS

Open Letter to Collins via email:
I sincerely hoped you would stop being dishonest with Norman residents about
your record. As evident in your letter this morning, you continue this
dishonesty. We can actually resolve this issue quite quickly. So, please,
answer this specifically: In your April 13th letter, you stated that you
did not "walk any votes" that pertained to eliminating the grocery sales
tax, as Bobby Cleveland had charged. Do you maintain that position given
the following information pasted below

HOUSE BILL 3358 Franchise tax; sales tax holiday; individual income tax
Terrill Emergency

EXCUSED: 15

Auffet *Collins* Inman Pittman

BigHorse Ellis Lindley Proctor
Brannon Glenn McMullen Renegar
Brown Hamilton Morrissette


I'm sure you recall that this was a vote on HB 3358 to suspend rules in
order to attach an amendment that would eliminate the grocery sales tax. You
were present for the votes on HB 3358 that immediately preceded and followed
this particular vote. If you didn't "walk" this vote, then please inform me
and others why you are registered as excused.

Thank you,
Joe Fairbanks