In a time when many Oklahomans' incomes have stopped increasing one thing remains constant. The steady 5% increase of property tax assessments. This unfairly punishes Oklahoma home owners.

Representative Murphey has proposed legislation that places a temporary freeze on these assessments as he believes the property tax is the most unfair form of taxation.

This freeze would take place over a two year time period after which time the cap on new assessments could never be higher than 2.5% and could be as low as 0%. While Murphey's bill is pending before a House committee a bill containing similar language passed the House before being held up in the Senate. Murphey remains optimistic that the Senate will vote on the House proposal during the 2008 legislative session. Until that time Murphey plans to sponsor a bill requested by Logan County Commissioner Mark Sharpton which would increase the homestead exemption for homeowners. This would have the effect of driving down the level of property taxes. Murphey and Sharpton claim it has been years since the homestead exemption was placed at it's current level. In those years both property taxes and inflation has shot upward without the homestead exemption being increased. Murphey and Sharpton feel this is an injustice to those who own homes.