[NR] Suggested Action in the Northern Region (Long)

[John Yates]

Greetings to Fellow Residents of the Northern Region!
   Please permit me to introduce myself, as there are
many in the region who have not met me; my SCA name is
Valstarr Hawkwind, residing in the far southern part
of the Barony of Northkeep (a little south of
McAlester)
   I have followed the tax issue regarding merchants
at SCA events in the Northern Region in the wake of
last year's action by Oklahoma's legilature.
   I have personally brought this up with a number of
legislators over the past few months, and most have
seemed willing to either help, or at least be open to
the idea, of change.
   As many of you know, much of what went through last
year in the legislature did not have a great deal of
time to be screened/rviewed/amended.
   I have been assured by at least one legislator that
this issue will come up early in the session. What i
am recommending is, that each of you contact your
legislator.
   Pretty simple, in sounding. I know that few people,
myself included, take the time to write a letter,
address it, and mail it for a political goal.
   So, here are some links to help you out, if you are
interested

Oklahoma Houseof Represntatives
http://www.lsb.state.ok.us/house/mememail.htm

Oklahoma State Senate
http://www.oksenate.gov/Senators/directoryalpha.htm

   I would encourage you to click on the link and the
second one in the senators' cases, and e-mail them
about your concern.
   I would also encourage calls to the offices of your
elected representative. Here is the toll free number
for the Oklahoma House of Representatives
   800-522-8502. 

   They can connect you with the office of your
reresentative, without it costing you for a long
distance call.
   Even though a call is likely to be handled by a
staff member, the input, I feel, will get passed
along. I further feel it highly likely that e-mail
input will be passed along, or read directly by the
elected officials themselves.
   Doing both e-mailing and calling also gives us
'double' contacts. We should be willing to identify
ourselves, and when calling/e-mailing our
senator/representative, point out we live in the
district they represent (a friendly way fo saying you
are a consituent)
   A cordial demeanor should be in all our
communications.
   I would like to offer, in case some of you would
like to use them, some of the types of points that I 
feel will be helpful in getting our view across.

+  Mention that you undertsand there has been talk of
looking at the issue of sales tax permits and making
groups responsible for them again by the legislature.

+  Point out that our group's regional (i.e.,
kingdom,)organization has ruled that, (due to the
perhaps unintended requirements the new law imposes,)
generally ruled there will be no businesses allowed to
sell at our events.

+ our events are not large, but it is a strain to make
the local group both purchase a permit, and be
responsible for collecting and remunerating what sales
tax is collected.

+ we are somewhat similar to historical reenactment
organizations, and our attendance is not huge at
events. 

+ without being able to purchase the specialty items
for our hobby at these events, if we want to purchase
them at an event, we have to go to Texas (I know,
playing the Texas card,) Arkansas, or Kansas to an
event there.

+ point out that this measure has implications to much
larger festivals and events that communities in their
district likely offer that are much larger than SCA
events.

+ request that the law be changed so that an event
organizer (as in a local group) is not responsible for
the collection and remuneration to the state of sales
tax collected at events

+ request that there not be a permit fee that an event
organizer has to purchase to have items sold by
private individuals/businesses that are not connected
with the group.

The legislative session begins Monday. It is a fine
time for our friendly, positive voice to be heard, as
citizens of the Great State of Oklahoma.

   I thank you for your consideration.
Regards,
Valstarr

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