Quit ‘monkeying around’ and pass tax cuts, Stitt tells Oklahoma Legislature

OKLAHOMA CITY – Gov. Kevin Stitt accused lawmakers of acting “bananas” and wrote over the weekend that they needed to stop “monkeying around” and pass tax cuts.

The Republican, who has ramped up his calls for income tax cuts in recent days, appeared to try to poke fun at lawmakers as he vetoed legislation creating a special license plate benefitting the Oklahoma City Zoo.

He also on Saturday signed a number of measures, including one that could ban some drag shows.

Senate Bill 837 would have allowed Service Oklahoma to enter into an agreement with the Oklahoma Zoological Society to use its logo. The Oklahoma Zoological Society, a nonprofit which supports the Oklahoma City Zoo, would receive not more than $20 for each plate sold.

The measure, which also created a motorcycle plate for Tulsa’s Greenwood Historical District and allowed $27 of the fee paid for the plate to go to the Tulsa Juneteenth Festival, was one of seven bills he vetoed on Saturday.

“It’s bananas that our Legislature has time to dedicate to creating more novelty license plates but doesn’t have the time to pass tax cuts,” Stitt’s veto message said. “The Legislature should stop monkeying around and address the elephant in the room. It is time to boa (sic) up and pass tax cuts.”

Oklahoma has over 200 specialty license plate options ranging from those that honor the military to those supporting various colleges, occupations, groups and causes. One of those is for the Tulsa Zoo.

“The Legislature’s overzealous commitment to vanity license plates has resulted in a bloated catalogue full of taxpayer funded advertisements for special interest groups,” Stitt wrote.

Stitt has been pushing lawmakers to reduce the state’s 4.75% income tax rate and find a way toward elimination.

In the past week, he’s posted social media videos praising 17 state senators, who he said support cutting taxes, and of school-aged children, being urged on by an adult, chanting “tax cut, tax cut” on his official Facebook page.

Stitt used social media to explain why he had signed other measures, including House Bill 1217, calling it a “no brainer.”

“We are basically banning drag shows in front of kids,” Stitt said.

House Bill 1217 makes it a crime to engage in adult performances that have obscenity, or permit them, on public property where a minor could view them.

“Go check out and see who voted against that bill,” Stit said. “Crazy.”

Critics said the measure is unconstitutional.

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