President Pro Tem Coffee Will Introduce Legislation to End Tag Agency Patronage

Senator Glenn Coffee confirmed Monday that one of his first reforms of state government will be in the form of authoring legislation ending the Senate’s tag agency patronage system by prohibiting lawmakers from recommending tag agents to the Oklahoma Tax Commission (OTC).

In the past, Oklahoma State Senators have suggested to OTC those individuals they thought should hold the position of tag agent. Under Coffee’s legislation, the Oklahoma Tax Commission will directly appoint tag agents.

“Traditionally, the OTC has followed the recommendations of the local senators in filling these positions,” said Coffee. “This legislation simply removes patronage and returns professionalism to the appointment and management of tag agencies.

“This is a reform that is long overdue, and I believe it will be greeted with bi-partisan enthusiasm,” he continued. “It’s time for this patronage to end, and I’m happy to bring it to a painless, peaceful conclusion.”

Oklahoma and Tulsa counties have been out from under the patronage system for many years with significant success, and Coffee says this reform brought by the new Senate majority will bring professional management to the tag agency system.