There are some Oklahoma lawmakers who want cities to be able to raise property taxes to pay for general fund items like police and fire salaries and other expenses.

This is a bad idea.

Proponents say this won’t increase taxes but it surely will. They claim that cities would have to have a vote of the people to pass higher property taxes and that would be a safeguard.

The problem is that property taxes a “hidden taxes.” People don’t realize that they are paying more until they get a notice from their mortgage company that their house payment is going up $100 a month.

Then it’s too late to vote against it.

And in Tulsa, the chamber of commerce and their minions can spend thousands if not millions to promote a property tax increase by minimizing the impact. How many times have we heard, “It will only cost ‘pennies a day?’”

And if you don’t believe this is true, when was the last time a school property tax hike failed in Tulsa County?

This is an underhanded effort to raise taxes and grow government.

And even though renters don’t own their property and pay taxes directly, their rents will go up if ad valorem taxes increase. And property tax hikes disproportionately affect those on fixed incomes (including seniors).

America is dealing with crisis. This is no time to raise taxes.