Tax Reform Information Archives

Fact Sheets

• Don’t Pay for Tax Cuts on the Backs of Working Oklahoma Families  [HTML Version]
• Why It’s Critical to Save the Income Tax, and What You Can Do Today  [HTML Version]
• Why Saving the Income Tax is Critical for Rural Oklahoma  [HTML Version]
• Why Saving the Income Tax is Critical for Public Education  [HTML Version]
• Why Saving the Income Tax is Critical for Higher Education   [HTML Version]
• Why the Income Tax is Critical to Business and Economic Development in Oklahoma   [HTML Version]
• Why Saving the Income Tax is Critical for Health Care   [HTML Version]
• Why Saving the Income Tax is Critical for Seniors   [HTML Version]
• Why Saving the Income Tax is Critical to Low-Income Oklahomans   [HTML Version]
• Why Saving the Income Tax is Critical for Oklahoma’s Children   [HTML Version]
• Why Saving the Income Tax is Critical for Oklahomans with Disabilities  [HTML Version]
• Why Saving the Income tax is Critical for Public Safety in Oklahoma  [HTML Version]
• The Tax Shift (January 2012): The proposals of the tax reform task force would hike taxes for most Oklahomans and would especially hurt seniors and families with children.
• Cutting Oklahoma’s top income tax rate: Who benefits? (February 2011): An analysis of who benefited from the last top-down cuts to the state income tax. More attempts to lower the top rate would have similar disproportionate benefits for the wealthiest Oklahomans.
• Oklahoma Individual Income Tax Basics (August 2011): This fact sheet explains three important concepts for understanding Oklahoma’s income tax: 1) taxable income, 2) tax brackets, and 3) effective tax rates.

Op-Eds/Blog Posts/Press Releases

• STATEMENT: Failure of tax cuts is great outcome for Oklahoma (May 2012)
• STATEMENT: Latest tax plan is desperate effort that hasn’t been thought through (May 2012)
• Guest Blog (Steve Ellis): Income tax opponents offer nothing new in the Wall Street Journal (May 2012)
• GRAPH: State support for schools has fallen whil enrollment rises (May 2012)
• Tax cuts for somes, tax hikes for others (May 2o12)
• Flawed trigger proposal could create serious unintended consequences (May 2012)
• Tax cut proposal Q&A (May 2012)
• STATEMENT: Tax deal sets wrong priorities for Oklahoma (May 2012)
• Business leaders urge rejection of tax triggers (May 2012)
• The conservative anti-poverty program (May 2012)
• STATEMENT: Senate Republican tax plan makes progress but still puts unfair burden on working families (May 2012)
• Politicians make bad fortune tellers (May 2012)
• Heed call for children (David Blatt, May 2012)
• New poll shows Oklahomans oppose tax cut proposals (May 2012)
• Why raise taxes on working families? (May 2012)
• In This Together (David Blatt, May 2012)
• Poll Dancing: Advocates exaggerate public support for tax cuts (May 2012)
• Tax credits worth saving (Gene Perry, May 2012)
• Tax cuts of the mid-2000′s did not spark revenue growth (April 2012)
• No ‘Laffing’ matter (David Blatt, April 2012)
• Who’s behind the assault on income tax? (April 2012)
• The terrible thing about triggers (Gene Perry, April 2012)
• The sure path to prosperity is higher education, not tax cuts (David Blatt, April 2012)
• Evidence and ideology: Beyond Econ 101 (Steve Ellis, April 2012)
• Anti-tax group’s flawed ‘research’ (Lynne Shaw, April 2012)
• Taxes are essential for Oklahoma’s quality of life (Ken Fergesen, April 2012)
• The ‘Texas model’ is not al it seems and hard to follow (Elizabeth McNichol, April 2012)
• The ‘tax cut’ bait-and-switch (April 2012)
• Stand back! We don’t know how big these things may get (March 2012)
• Surprise! States without an income tax have higher sales and property taxes (March 2012)
• Pay-as-you-Go is a promising approach to fiscal responsibility (March 2012)
• Oklahoma economists give Laffer a failing grade (March 2012)
• Economics 102 (Mar 2012)
• Fallin off a cliff (Mar 2012)
• Betting the Farm: Ending the income tax creates huge risks for rural Oklahoma (Mar. 2012)
• Tax Foundation ranks Oklahoma among lowest tax states for business (Mar. 2012)
• STATEMENT: Troubling new details emerge about Governor Fallin’s tax plan (Feb. 2012)
• What the income tax pays for (Feb. 2012)
• Stuck in a Hole: What flat funding means for the education budget (Feb. 2012)
• How Oklahoma is falling behind (Feb. 2012)
• No leg left to stand on: Laffer debunked again (Feb. 2012)
• The Myth about Oklahoma’s tax system that we keep repeating (Feb. 2012)
• Laffer Debunked: States without an income tax do not enjoy stronger economic growth (Feb. 2012)
• STATEMENT: Governor Fallin’s plan to end income tax would bust huge hole in the state budget (Feb. 2012)
• Tax elimination talk ignored huge needs (Tulsa World op-ed, Jan. 2012)
• Cutting the income tax is wrong approach for Oklahoma (Oklahoman op-ed, Jan. 2012)
• Who are the real losers in the tax shift plan? It’s not ‘special interests’ (Jan. 2012): Based on the task force’s own numbers, broad-based tax preferences make up more than two-thirds of the funds targeted for elimination. That’s why Sen. Mazzei’s plan would raise taxes for a majority of Oklahomans.
• Task force proposal would raise taxes on most Oklahomans, especially harm seniors and families with children (Jan.  2012): An analysis by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) reveals that if this plan were to take effect today, taxes would increase for 55 percent of Oklahomans. Only 31 percent of Oklahomans would receive a tax cut. 
• Task Force proposes tax hike on poor and middle class to benefit the wealthiest (December 2011): Doing away with broad-based tax benefits like the personal exemption, earned income tax credit, and sales tax relief credit in exchange for a cut in the top income tax rate would actually increase taxes for a majority of Oklahomans. This would hit hardest the poor and middle class families who are struggling most to make ends meet in a tough economy.
• Growing disconnect between budget politics and reality (Dec. 2011): Last week we reported that next year’s revenues are expected to be 7 percent below their levels of six years ago (FY ’07), even though costs are higher due to inflation, population growth, and increased caseloadsElsewhere, people seem to have read a different budget estimate than the one we saw.
• What’s the best way to boost the economy? Hint — it’s not tax cuts (December 2011): We have little to gain by pursuing the low tax extreme even further. On the other hand, by combining our resources to invest in proven strategies, we can multiply the impact of every dollar we spend.
• Beware the tax shift (December 2011): We should watch out for any purported tax cut ideas that shift more costs onto low and medium-income Oklahomans.
• Cutting the income tax is the wrong priority for Oklahoma (November 2011): While some state leaders continue to discuss making top-down cuts to the income tax or eliminating it entirely, a new OK Policy Issue Brief shows why that policy is ill-advised. 
• Oklahoma can put an end to abusive corporate tax shelters (October 2011): An interview with business tax expert Michael Mazerov on how a tax reform call combined reporting can prevent corporations from shifting profits made in Oklahoma to out-of-state subsidiaries in tax shelters.
• It’s not the personal income tax (October 2011): Making sure that we have a quality workforce, infrastructure, health care system, and overall favorable business climate is a far more sensible strategy to attract businesses than doing away with the personal income tax.
• Frank discussion needed on tax reform in Oklahoma (October 2011): If we’re going to seriously consider drastic changes in the state’s tax system, we owe it to everyone to have an honest discussion with real-life numbers and the real-life impacts on people.
• Good times don’t last forever (October 2011): Tax cuts tend to be permanent. “Growth revenue” never is.
• Easier to shop in Kansas than move to Texas (October 2011): We explain why replacing the income tax with higher consumption taxes would damage Oklahoma’s economy.
• Income tax proposal would do lasting damage to state’s prosperity (September 2011): The suggestions of a report prepared for Governor Fallin would make permanent the state’s current budget woes and cripple our ability to meet our obligations in the years ahead. (Press release)
• Three reforms to modernize Oklahoma’s income tax (September 2011): We present three alternative reforms that would modernize the income tax and genuinely improve Oklahoma’s competitiveness and economy.
• Why Oklahoma needs an income tax (August 2011): Three reasons why Oklahoma should maintain its income tax.
• New report shows tax flight is a myth (August 2011): Opponents of the income tax say ending it will encourage people and businesses to move to Oklahoma from other states. A report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities shows why this argument is wrong.

Media Coverage

• Jonathan Willner, an Economist at OCU, Rejects Calls by OK Politicians to Delete the State Income Tax (Public Radio Tulsa, March 30, 2012)
• Oklahoma governor holds out hope for state personal income tax cut of at least 1 percent (NewsOK, March 30, 2012)
• Don’t base decisions on ‘voodoo economics’ (NewsOK, March 23, 2012)
• LETTER: Business activity may not increase if income tax is eliminated (NewsOK, March 18, 2012)
• Oklahoma Treasurer urges caution in cutting state’s personal income tax rate (NewsOK, March 18, 2012)
• Tax talk at legislative luncheon (Ardmoreite, March 11, 2012)
• Okla. think -tank pushes for more spending cuts (Associated Press, March 8, 2012)
• Retirees raise concerns about income tax-cutting proposals before Oklahoma lawmakers (NewsOK, March 11, 2012)
• LETTER: Income tax plan may hurt low-income families (Edmond Sun, March 8, 2012)
• A Senate bill phases out incentives that lure filmmakers to the state (Oklahoma Gazette, March 7, 2012)
• Save Our History (Urban Tulsa Weekly, March 7, 2012)
• State income tax needed for schools, infrastructure, social services (NewsOK, March 7, 2012)
• Editorial: ‘Right-size government’ a fallacy (Tulsa World, March 7, 2012)
• Oklahoma lawmaker asks, whose voices matter most at Capitol? (NewsOK, March 2, 2012)
• State treasurer offers tax-cutting advice (Tulsa World, March 3, 2012)
• Oklahoma’s state budgeting system could use more vision (NewsOK, March 4, 2012)
• Oklahoma governor’s income tax reduction plan wins house committee approval (NewsOK, March 1, 2012)
• Tax cut fever (Tulsa World, February 26, 2012)
• Boom in no-tax states overstated by tax cut proponents (NewsOK, February 24, 2012)
• Oklahoma House Speaker Steele says any tax cut must be revenue neutral (Tulsa World, February 24, 2012)
• Oklahoma Governor’s tax cut plan neither simple nor universally endorsed (NewsOK, February 23, 2012)
• Personal spending piece of tax cut hype is problematic (NewsOK, February 17, 2012)
• Gov. Fallin’s tax plan is one big mistake (Norman Transcript, February 13, 2012)
• Not time to experiment with state taxes (Norman Transcript, February 12, 2012)
• Tax-cut talk stymies state’s rating improvement (Tulsa World, February 11, 2012)
• On the hunt for corporate Oklahoma expats in Texas (StateImpact Oklahoma, February 7, 2012)
• Income tax debate ratchets up in Oklahoma (Tulsa World, January 29, 2012)
• Legislative leaders in Oklahoma urge caution in reducing or eliminating state personal income tax rate (NewsOK, January 27, 2012)
• Tax proposal burdens poor, middle class (Edmond Sun, January 20, 2012)
• Some members of Oklahoma tax-reform task force repudiate proposals (Tulsa World, January 8, 2012)
• Timing wrong for Fallin’s tax cut plan (Muskogee Phoenix, January 26, 2012)
• Tax reform panel releases report (Tulsa World, December 31, 2011)
• Legislative task force calls for reducing Oklahoma’s top personal income tax rate(NewsOK, December 31, 2011)
• Panel recommends further slashing Okla. income tax, eliminating dozens of tax breaks (Associated Press, December 30, 2011)
• Get it right (Tulsa World, December 27, 2011)
• McDaniel: Income tax phaseout needs to protect teachers Retirement System(Watchdog Oklahoma, December 26, 2011)
• Talk of cutting Oklahoma’s income tax not just an academic exercise (NewsOK, December 20, 2011)
• Hold onto that plan (Enid News and Eagle, December 12, 2011)
• Oklahoma Academy urges caution on income tax cut (Associated Press, December 12, 2011)
• State income tax no simple debate (Edmond Sun, December 10, 2011)
• State leaders discuss further reducing Oklahoma’s income tax, acknowledge need for caution (Associated Press, December 7, 2011)
• Treasurer report shows importance of income tax (Tulsa World, December 7, 2011)
• Point/Counterpoint: Ending the personal income tax (NewsOK, December 4, 2011)
• Small business experts recommend against cutting income tax (Tulsa World, December 2, 2011)
• OK’s Income Tax Too Important to Abolish, University Economists Say (StateWatch, November 18, 2011)
• Eliminating state income tax difficult, economists say (NewsOK, November 10, 2011)
• Abolishing a state income tax easier said than done (Stateline, November 7, 2011)
• Doing away with personal income tax would hurt Oklahoma (NewsOK, November 4, 2011)
• Lawmakers eye further cuts to income tax (Associated Press, October 14, 2011)
• In defense of Oklahoma’s personal income tax (KWGS Studio Tulsa interview with David Blatt, October 13, 2011)
• To income tax or not to income tax? (Urban Tulsa Weekly, October 12, 2011)
• An attack on the middle class? (Mickey Hepner, The Edmond Sun, October 7, 2011)
• Oklahoma vs. Texas: A Red River rivalry … of taxes? (State Impact Oklahoma, October 7, 2011)
• Yin and yang: What would an ideal Oklahoma tax system look like? (Journal record, September 15, 2011)

Reports

• Arthur Laffer Regression Analysis is Fundamentally Flawed (Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, February 2012)
• ‘Don’t Be Fooled by Junk Economics’ - (Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, February 2012)
• Governor Fallin’s Tax Plan (Feb 2012)
• List of Tax Credits to Eliminate – Governor’s Plan (Feb 2012)
• Tax Reform Task Force Report (Dec 2011)
• Arthur Laffer Plan to Eliminate the Income Tax (Oklahoma Council of Feb. 2012)