childhood home in Marlow to be closer to our producing royalty-which we depended on very heavily to maintain our standard of living. My husband is unable to work and I have become his full-time nurse. This unfair tax has hit us very hard and I know you are trying to help out the royalty owners. We appreciate this help very much and urge you to keep up the fight for such as we. If there is anything we can do in the way of writing letters, making calls, etc. please let us know and we will certainly be glad to help the ball get started to roll against this unfair tax. Thank you for your cooperation. MR. AND MRS. JIM WADE. ARDMORE, OKLA., May 6, 1980. Representative WES WATKINS, House Office Building, Washington, D.O. DEAR SIR: In regard to the windfall profit tax on royalty, I would like to make a few comments. Back in the days when I was younger, my wife and I struggled and saved and when we would hear of a three, four, or five acre tract of minerals for sale, we would try to buy into this tract if we could borrow the money and pay it back in small monthly payments. The reason for doing this was taking a chance that someday there might be production on some of these little tracts. We did this in order to supplement our very small pension and a very inadequate social security check. Many people did the same thing trying to supplement their meager income. We were lucky enough to get some small production on two of these tracts. We were living fairly comfortably before the so-called windfall profit tax. Since they are taking so much royalty tax out of our checks, it is going to be very difficult to keep our heads above water. I received a check a few days ago and they took $242.00 out of it. They are simply taking bread off of our table and very badly needed medicine off our shelves. And this actually puts us on the bottom rung of the ladder financially. It seems to me there should be enough brains in Washington to realize the great predicament that thousands of people are being placed in by this tax. It is very apparent that the President has been listening to the wrong people. He has some advisors that would not know an oil jack from a jersey cow. It is high time that something was done about this royalty tax. It is putting many people in a position of utter poverty. It seems to me there should have been some amendments to this windfall profit tax, for instance: There could have been a cut-off of royalty tax to people over 65 or 70 years old. Also, an amendment could have been inserted saying the tax would not apply to people making less than $20,000 a year total income. That would give the thousands of people enough income to live half-way decently. We know, Representative Watkins, that you voted against this tax. Thank you very much for fighting for our rights. I am enclosing a copy of one check covering two leases and you can readily see the difference before and after tax. DEAR MR. WATKINS: I know that I am just whistling into the wind, that you will never see this letter. Will you please tell me, why is the small royalty owner having to pay the windfall profit tax that was assessed against the multirich oil companies. If this is not an additional 35% tax to the little people, I don't know what it could be called. We are each past 65, living on a fixed income, we get a royalty check each month. This past month the gross amount was $97.00 from which $34.00 was withheld for the windfall profit tax. That amount would have made a payment on a kitchen range, which we desperately need. This is not at all fair and just. Eighty-five percent of all royalty owners are in the same boat, over 65 years of age and depend on that little check for a livelihood. We are not sure as yet, who was responsible for this, but whoever, there needs to be some changes made and soon. Yours truly, MR. and MRS. LES MCABEE. OKLAHOMA STATE SENATE, Oklahoma City, Okla., May 12, 1980. Hon. WES WATKINS, 424 Cannon Building Washington, D.C. Congratulations on your proposal for an amendment to the windfall profits tax. I appreciate your concern for our constituents in Cotton, Jefferson and Stephens Counties. The mineral owners of the small stripper wells find this tax is taking 25 to 40 per cent of this income. These people had planned to use this as retirement income and it is working a great hardship on them. I know first hand of these hardships because my father-in-law, who is using this as a supplement to his social security, now finds himself turning to welfare and other means to keep his wife in a nursing home. There are many people in this category who will now have to depend on the federal government to sustain their livelihood unless your amendment is successful. Sincerely, KENNETH LANDIS, State Senator, District 24. P.S. If Something isn't done on these stripper wells, the operators will shut them down. 2 182 FEDERAL AND STATE TAKES HAVE BEEN DEDUCTED AND PAID WHERE BOUIRED. YOUR INTEREST VALUE 17.22 675.93 225.210R VICKERS PETROLEUM CORPORATION P.O. BOX 2240 WICHITA, KANSAS 67201 DEAR SIRS: For fifty years my husband worked for an oil company. They did not have a retirement, but did let their men earn; buy some oil royalties. At the time of his death two years ago, he thought I could live comfortably on the income he left me. Now with this new windfall tax I find my income very low and prices very high. At seventy years of age I feel this is very unfair, as I am too old to work. May I hear from you on this also what can we the small royalty owners do. Thank you. APPILINE MCCHESNEY. DUNCAN, OKLA., May 11, 1980. Hon. DAVID BOREN, U.S. Senator, Washington, D.C. Attention: Denise Bede. DEAR MS. BEDE: I am physically unable to attend above hearing in Oklahoma City, May 23. I want, however, to make a statement and I would like for it to be on record. Senator Boren has my permission to read it to both Houses of Congress if necessary. The statement is as follows: My name is Hope Dolen. Age 71. Single. I reside at 1316 Walnut, Duncan, Oklahoma, 73533. My total income for the month of April is as follows: I am on Medicare (hence the $125.20). I put $5.00 a month out of the Civil Service Annuity in savings and $10.00 for change (taxi, groceries, etc.) I, also, put $10.00 a month out of the royalty check in my savings account. Out of this savings account I pay a yearly premium of $114.00 homeowners insurance on my house. I. also, have my utilities, groceries, Medicare Supplement policies (2), total $54.69. Cancer policies (2), total $16.90. Paying on a $628.00 carpenter bill, plus other home expenses. I'm soon going to have to get new eyeglasses. With the increase in the royalty check, I was beginning to get ahead, but with this tax taken out of my check (I'm a small royalty owner. Put me down as one of the small royalty owners,) I'm back in the red and it really hurts. This statement is all true. Thank you. (Miss) HOPE DOLEN. STRATFORD OKLA., May 8, 1980. Rep. WES WATKINS, MR. WATKINS: We are 2 of the many retired people who were getting an oil check of around 175 or 179 per month to help along with social security to live on. 3 years ago we were lucky enough to get a small producer oil well, the windfall tax voted in by Congress & signed by our President or visa versa. Cost us last month $70 out of check. The only way a voice of the small people can be heard is by writing and hopefully this unfair situation can be corrected. Thank you, BERNICE DYHEMON, 62. DEAR SIR: The attached copy is a clipping from the Daily Ardmoreite dated today! You certainly are speaking the truth! Why should we "little folks" with a small amount of royalty suffer the most? Our April check was reduced by 1⁄2isn't that terrible! We shall pray for you every day. Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Norris. DUNCAN, OKLA., Hon. THOMAS P. O'NEILL, Speaker, Washington, D.C'. DEAR SIR: Please find enclosed a true statement of a small royalty owner, a Senior Citizen, who has been badly hurt financially by this tax. The oil companies (major) are not hurt at all. It's we royalty owners who depend on said check as a supplemental source of income. Please support a bill that will exempt us from this tax. Wes Watkins is my congressman and is aware of my situation. Thank you, (Miss) Hope Dolen. ALLEN, OKLA., May 17, 1980. Congressman WES WATKINS. HONORABLE SIR: I am writing regards the oil windfall tax-I am a royalty owner, and was ripped off for 50 percent tax this past month, even after the Gross Production Tax. We have never complained of the GP tax-now we are getting a double tax. I always heard that a double tax was unconstitutional. |