Dust-up At Tax Credit Study Meeting

Two House members squared off just before the recess of (Wednesday's) meeting of the tax credit study chaired by Rep. David Dank, R-Oklahoma City.

Rep. Mike Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, had just questioned Mike Bergey, of Bergey Windpower in Norman, about whether Bergey uses wind-energy tax credits on his personal income taxes and how that affects the taxes he actually pays.

Rep. Earl Sears, R-Bartlesville, then asked questions that gave Bergey the opportunity to say the credits were used as authorized by state law, with Sears also praising Bergey and his firm.

Reynolds then rose, objecting to Sears’ line of questioning, by which Reynolds said Sears seemed to be apologizing for Reynolds’ questions to Bergey.

Sears told Reynolds he found it offensive that he asked Bergey about his personal income taxes.

Reynolds replied that he was offended Sears thought he had to apologize for him.

After each lawmaker invited the other to his office for further discussion, Dank issued his own apology for the outbursts.

As the meeting broke for lunch, Sears passed by Reynolds’ desk in the House chamber, saying, “Mike, I have nothing to say to you,” calling Reynolds’ tax questions “totally inappropriate.”

“Yeah, you’re afraid to get to the bottom of it aren’t you?” Reynolds said.

Asked for comment about the dust-up, Dank said that Reynolds took a hard line of questioning, but, “They’re both passionate members.” ~ Marie Price, report in The Journal Record

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