OCPA Impact Files Legal Challenge to One Cent Sales Tax for Education Initiative

By Jason Doyle Oden

OCPA Impact submitted a new challenge to the initiative asking voters for a one percent sales tax to help fund teacher salaries and other education system needs. The organization made the filing with the Oklahoma Supreme Court on Thursday.

OCPA Impact contends Initiative Petition 403, also called State Question 779, has issues with its “gist” or summary of the proposal. CEO Dave Bond said the proposal isn’t spelled out as it should be on the petitions that are signed by voters.

“Voters shouldn’t be led to believe this proposal merely asks them to spare a penny that they might find in their couch cushions or underneath the floor mats in their car, but that’s more or less how it’s currently worded,” Bond said.

A group led by University of Oklahoma President David Boren proposed the penny sales tax to help alleviate education funding issues including teacher raises.

The legal challenge lays out several possible problems with the initiative petition’s gist. Those reasons include a failure to explain the one percent sales and use tax is an increase, not dedicated use of an existing tax and no proposal to improve college affordability despite a stated intent to do so. Other reasons include spending authority, oversight and audit requirements, and fund allocation issues.

The organization also challenged the ballot title for State Question 779. OPCA Impact filed a previous challenge to the initiative which was rejected by the Supreme Court earlier this year.

Bond notes Oklahoma’s economy is in no shape for a tax increase which would put the state’s sales tax as the highest in the nation.

“Oklahomans want a teacher pay raise, not a tax increase, but President Boren’s proposal would impose a major tax increase on families, individuals and small businesses at a time when tens of thousands of Oklahomans have lost work because of the ripple effects of falling oil prices,” said Bond.