Oklahoma Governor calls for a special session

Okla. (KXII) -Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt is calling a special session of the state legislature beginning October 3, demanding state lawmakers to deliver on three things.

Governor Stitt is calling to demand tax fairness, deliver a tax cut, and increase transparency in the state budget process.

“Probably the biggest one is the governor has been concerned about the Strobel case,” said Senator David Bullard. Muscogee Creek Nation employee Alicia Stroble filed a case going before the Oklahoma Supreme Court that argues all Native Americans living on McGirt reservation areas are exempt from paying state income tax.

“Anybody who’s here and lives here and utilizes school streets and hospitals in Oklahoma should be paying that tax,” Bullard said.

Stitt is calling for a trigger law mandating if the Strobel case rules against the state, then no Oklahoman will have to pay the tax.

“I have always been a proponent of getting rid of the income tax and you know, I do not like the idea that we tax people based on the fact that they’re working,” Bullard added.

Bullard said something has to make up for the 4.2 billion dollars in revenue that income tax brings, “it’s about 40% of our entire budget and so we have to figure out what are we going to do with that and so we want to hear some more specific details because I think we’re interested in how you would do that.”

But McCall said this tax cut wouldn’t happen all at once, “It would start with an initial cut in the taxation personal income taxation rate in the State of Oklahoma, and subsequent cuts would happen in the future based upon the strength of the Oklahoma economy and the strength of state revenues.”

Bullard and McCall both agree that they don’t want to see property taxes go up.

“Special sessions are just kind of part of it and sometimes it’s political posturing and so what we want to know is, is this real?” Bullard asked, “Are you really interested in tax reform? If you are, we’re all on board, if it’s political posturing, I’m not interested in the slightest bit.”

Wednesday, Oklahoma President Pro Tem Greg Treat called on Stitt to appear before the Senate Appropriations Committee to explain his goal.

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