Capitol Report for May 13: Coburn hits tax hikes, gambling expansion proposal ‘blows up’ budget deal … and a salute to city-area public high schools

In this week’s Capitol Report segment on News9, Patrick B. McGuigan reviewed bipartisan opposition to a legislative proposal sharply limiting deductions for charitable contributions. Former U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn captured the fury of many conservatives over the proposal that would undercut giving while retaining ‘subsidies for out-of-state wind companies,’ bloated higher education administrative costs (and the same in common education), and subsidies to tribal tobacco sales and other businesses while leaving the billion-dollar TSET funds untouched.

The City Sentinel editor told Alex Cameron, a veteran reporter for the CBS News affiliate in Oklahoma City that he believes the Chickasaw Nation was the primary force behind the proposal to ease restrictions on gambling, and that reaction to the idea helped “blow up” a possible budget deal. McGuigan has doubted a special session will be required to fashion a balanced budget (as is required by law) but now believes the Legislature may have to return to budget issues after the scheduled May 26 adjournment.