Stitt Calls for Special Session to Eliminate Grocery Tax, Lower Income Tax

Governor Kevin Stitt is vetoing parts of the $9.8 billion dollar state budget passed last week by the Oklahoma Legislature and is calling for a special session to increase tax relief. Stitt is critical of the Legislature’s decision to provide a $75 “tax rebate” to Oklahomans and the repeal of the motor vehicle sales tax. He claims it is not enough considering the inflationary pressures on households in Oklahoma and has vetoed those measures.

Stitt is also using his line item veto on the general appropriations bill which removes $360,000 for printing Attorney General opinions and blocking an appropriation to increase the pay for private prison companies.

Stitt says he and his budget team were not brought into budget negotiations until after it was made public in mid May.

The Governor also called for a special session starting on June 13th so that the Legislature could pass “real inflation relief” for Oklahoma taxpayers. Stitt wants the grocery tax eliminated and the personal income tax rate to be lowered. He claims it will provide faster and more relief to Oklahomans.

“Families across Oklahoma are suffering from record inflation caused by President Biden’s disastrous policies. Oklahomans are paying skyrocketing prices to feed their families and need relief right now, not a check for a tank of gas that will come in December.”

“Oklahoma is one of just 13 states that taxes groceries, and it most affects the people who can least afford it. Our strong fiscal discipline over the years has given us the ability to eliminate this tax and now is the right time to do it,” Stitt said.

During a Thursday news conference, Stitt attacked the Republican-led Legislature for the rebate checks and repeal of the motor vehicle tax.

“It’s a political gimmick during an election year. I never expected Republicans to take a page out of Joe Biden’s liberal playbook and waste $181 million sending government checks out,” said Stitt.

Stitt is allowing the rest of the budget to go into law without his signature.

“The House will respond to the governor’s many inaccurate and misleading statements in due course,” said House Speaker Charles McCall in response to Stitt’s vetoes and push for a special session.

House Speaker Pro Tempore Kyle Hilbert responded with a Twitter thread starting with the constitutional role the Governor plays in the budget process is to present the executive budget proposal in the State of the State Address and the Legislature takes over from there.

 

The Legislature meets Friday morning at 9:00 a.m. for both the final day of the regular session and to continue its work setting up to allot nearly $2 billion in American Rescue Plan Act funds over the summer in special session.

You can watch Governor Stitt’s news conference below.


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