By Jason Doyle Oden
Oklahoma voters might be in the mood to raise taxes to help ease the funding gap the state government is currently facing. That’s according to a new Sooner Survey by Cole Hargrave Snodgrass and Associates. The survey indicated “tax sensitivity” is at a low point.
Results show 45 percent of Oklahomans believe the tax level is just right, while 41 percent say taxes are too high. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the survey routinely saw the “too high” category in the high 40s to low 50s. The number of Oklahomans who think the state tax levels are too low grew to nine percent. Just a year and a half ago, the Sooner Survey never recorded more than two percent in the “taxes are too low” category.
Breakdowns also indicate those making more than $75,000 a year are the least tax sensitive. Of those with household incomes of more than $100,000, 17 percent are saying taxes are too low.
Many of the voters would rather increase revenues than push further cuts onto state agencies as well. The survey shows a super-majority of voters are leaning toward a tobacco tax increase to help bridge the funding gap. A majority of Oklahomans favor changing the way the state collects Internet sales tax. By a two to one margin, voters favor taking available federal funds for health care services for the poor and incarcerated through Medicaid. Where the favorability for a tax increase stops is at the gas pump. According to the survey, a gasoline tax increase does not get a majority of voters support.
The survey was taken in early February. The sample was 500 registered voters in Oklahoma. The margin of error is 4.3 percent.
