OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — With state financial savings accounts and income collections at all-time highs, tax cuts will probably be a high precedence for Gov. Kevin Stitt and the Republican-controlled Legislature for the 2023 session that started on Monday.
Stitt, who easily won reelection in November, offered his government finances proposal to lawmakers and delivered his fifth State of the State deal with to a joint legislative session. In it, he referred to as for lawmakers to get rid of the state gross sales tax on groceries and reduce the person and company revenue tax charges.
“In my executive budget I am proposing to eliminate Oklahoma’s state grocery tax and reduce our personal income tax rate to 3.99%,” Stitt mentioned. “These cuts will save each family in Oklahoma hundreds of dollars each year.”
Eliminating the 4.5% state portion of the gross sales tax on groceries would price an estimated $351 million yearly, whereas decreasing the person revenue tax price from 4.75% to three.99% would price a further $261 million, primarily based on estimates from the governor’s workplace. Democrats within the House and Senate each have endorsed chopping the state’s grocery gross sales tax, and House Democratic Leader Rep. Cyndi Munson mentioned they’d achieve this once more this yr.
“Hopefully our colleagues on the other side of the aisle will join us,” mentioned Munson, D-Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma at present has about $1.4 billion in its constitutional Rainy Day Fund and a separate income stabilization fund, and the sum of money obtainable for lawmakers to spend on this yr’s finances is anticipated to extend by one other $950 million, primarily based on December figures accredited by the state Board of Equalization.
“With our fiscal discipline, economic growth, and our record savings, let’s make a significant statement that Oklahoma is here to stay on the national stage,” Stitt mentioned.
Stitt additionally urged lawmakers to once more goal transgender youngsters by prohibiting legal guidelines that permit gender-affirming medical therapy for minors, whilst tons of of activists chanted “protect trans rights” and “we are Oklahoma” within the rotunda exterior the chamber.
“Minors can’t vote, can’t purchase alcohol, can’t purchase cigarettes. We shouldn’t allow a minor to get a permanent gender altering surgery in Oklahoma,” he said, prompting the gallery to erupt with applause and nearly all Republican members to give him a standing ovation. ”That’s why I’m calling on the Legislature to ship me a invoice that bans all gender transition surgical procedures and hormone therapies on minors within the state of Oklahoma.”
Those proposals come after the governor signed payments final yr to prevent transgender girls from enjoying on ladies sports activities groups and requiring college students in public faculties to use only the bathrooms that correspond with their gender at delivery.
“Talking about the indoctrination in our universities and to just totally disregard and ignore the people who are outside fighting for their lives, asking their state leaders to recognize them as whole human beings, to bring up those two issues was quite frustrating and really upsetting,” Munson mentioned.
Lawmakers are also more likely to go a pay increase for lecturers, though the main points will probably be hammered out through the session. State Sen. Adam Pugh, the chairman of the Senate Education Committee, unveiled a plan final month to present an across-the-board instructor pay increase of between $3,000 and $6,000, primarily based on years of service. But the governor’s Secretary of Education and new State Superintendent Ryan Walters has put forth a plan to present merit-based pay raises to lecturers.
The Legislature is also more likely to once more take into account a plan endorsed by Stitt and Walters for a voucher-style plan to divert public training funds from public faculties to personal faculties, though the proposal stays unpopular with many House Republicans, notably these in rural areas.
Numerous payments even have been launched by Republicans this yr to revive a number of the abortion restrictions that had been imposed final yr, together with a bill that might permit abortions in circumstances of rape or incest which have been reported to legislation enforcement and clarifying the definition of when an abortion is allowed in circumstances of medical emergencies that threaten the lifetime of the mom.
“That bill is supported and endorsed by Oklahomans for Life, so I would anticipate (it) has a chance of passing,” mentioned Rep. Jon Echols, majority flooring chief within the House. “I definitely think it will get considered.”
Follow Sean Murphy at www.twitter.com/apseanmurphy
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This materials might not be revealed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed with out permission.
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