Lawmakers Return To Capitol For Special Session On Tax Cuts

Lawmakers will head back to the capitol on October 3rd to once again discuss tax cuts. Stitt made the call for the special session on Monday, asking lawmakers to come back to the capitol to discuss the tax cuts on October 3rd.

The governor asked the legislature to deliver on three priorities: 

1. A trigger law mandating that if a state or federal court finds that some individuals, due to their race, heritage, or political classification, don’t have to pay a state tax, then no Oklahoman will have to pay the tax.
2. A tax cut that puts Oklahoma on the path to zero income taxes. This will keep us in line with surrounding Republican-led states.
3. A measure that increases budget transparency to ensure that Oklahomans and their elected representatives have the ability and opportunity to see how their taxpayer dollars are being spent.

Today, Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat called those guidelines “intensely vague,” saying they’re hoping to get more clarity for the governor before they make any tax cuts. Treat says the tax cuts could cost the state somewhere in the neighborhood of $4 billion.

Treat invited the governor to attend the Senate’s appropriations meeting on October 3rd, where he’s asking Stitt to provide specifics on his goals and where he wants to make cuts.

"We look forward to the governor hopefully answering our call. I think 4 million Oklahomans deserve to hear what his real plan is and we eagerly await his attendance on October 3rd at 10 a.m.,” said Treat.

Treat added that we need to be cautious how we spend the surplus in the state, saying he believes Stitt has more confidence in Biden’s economy than he does.

“The surplus is not of one man or one woman doing this; it has been a collective effort of us spending well below our means to be able to be in this position. We cannot squander that,” said Treat.

We still have not heard from the state House on their thoughts regarding the special session call, but we’re hoping to learn more Thursday.

The Senate appropriations committee will meet on October 3rd at 10 a.m.