Senate Review by Senator Randy Brogdon

As the saying goes, you tax less what you want more of. Economic development will increase as the tax burden decreases on business. It is a simple fact when individuals make the decisions on how to spend their money the overall economy expands. The expansion of the economy will create new business expand job opportunities and increase revenues for state and local governments.

The Senate has been active this session in creating tax relief for Oklahomans. We’ve worked to make a more equitable tax system in our state, and pass reforms that will enable Oklahomans to keep more of their own money. One of the measures we approved last year was a Back to School Sales Tax Holiday to help families with the expenses associated with getting growing children ready for the coming school year. This year, we approved Senate Bill 1149 which would extend the sales tax holiday to include school supplies to the list of items already exempt from sales taxes during the first weekend of August. Currently, clothing and footwear costing up to $100 are tax free that weekend. Senate Bill 1149 would add school supplies such as pencils, paper, crayons, notebooks, calculators and instructional material that cost under $100 to the list of tax-free items.

Senate Joint Resolution 59 has recently passed the Senate and would let Oklahoma voters decide whether to lower the current property tax cap of five percent to three percent. Several years ago, Oklahomans approved a state question which placed the five percent cap on the amount property taxes could be raised each year. The cap was supposed to be the ceiling, but in many counties, it is now the standard. That’s not what the voters intended when they approved that cap.

Reducing the property tax cap to three percent will not take away any money from schools or other county services. They will still receive what they’ve been given in the past, along with yearly increases of up to three percent. SJR 59 gives the people of Oklahoma the opportunity to vote on slowing down how fast property taxes grow, because we as a Legislature trust them with this decision.

Finally, Senate Bill 1383 would speed up the elimination of Oklahoma’s death tax by one year, completely eliminating the tax by January 1, 2009. Under current law, the death tax won’t be phased out until 2010, but SB1383 will relieve this burden sooner.

Each of these measures has been approved by the Senate and is now awaiting action in the House of Representatives.

It is an honor to serve you in the in the State Senate. I can be reached by writing to Senator Randy Brogdon, Room 416, State Capitol, 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK 73105, or by calling (405) 521-5566, or email at brogdon@oksenate.gov.


Respectfully,

Randy Brogdon

Senate District #34