Gov. Stitt To Consider Special Session, Wants More Tax Cuts Inside State Budget

Friday marked "Sine Die" at the capitol – the end of the legislative session. Lawmakers have approved the state's nearly $13 billion budget plan. However, the battle for the budget isn't over just yet. 

The guarantees in life include death, taxes, and politicians who don’t agree with each other.  

“I am proud to support public schools and parent choice,” said Sen. Kristen Thompson (R-Edmond) during debate on the Senate floor on Friday. 

Republicans and Democrats took turns arguing for and against the state’s proposed spending plan. 

“It is seen as a betrayal to our first love, our covenant with our first love of public schools,” said Sen. Mary Boren (D-Norman) during debate on the Senate floor on Friday. 

However, Friday was Oklahoma’s budget deadline. 

“I know that the legislature’s proud of this budget,” said Rep. Ryan Martinez (R-Edmond). “There’s been a lot of work that goes into it.”  

While people went about their day outside the capitol, lawmakers inside the Senate gave the green light on how to spend taxpayers’ money.  

The general appropriations budget is about $12.9 billion dollars. Martinez said all the other bills lawmakers passed Friday will bring the total closer to $20 billion.  

Most of the money goes to education, which includes $5.6 billion.  

“It’s up to the governor, obviously, to decide what he’s gonna do with the budget,” Martinez said. 

However, Gov. Kevin Stitt said this budget costs too much money.  

“I’m not gonna stop advocating for lower taxes,” Stitt said. 

Stitt said he is considering calling a special session to ask for those tax cuts. Senate Democrats said they already have. 

“We passed tax cuts this year,” said Sen Julia Kirt (D-Oklahoma City). “We passed tax cuts for people with kids in private school. We passed fifty-five million dollars of corporate franchise tax cuts.”  

So, the debate continues.  

“I don’t like the amount of spending that we’re doing,” Stitt said. 

It’s up to the governor to decide when the debate stops, and Oklahoma’s budget becomes law.