OKLAHOMA VIEWPOINTS: Reactions to State of State (Stillwater News Press)

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin gave her annual state of the state address Monday to kick off the 2017 legislative session. Here is some of the reaction:

Oklahoma Policy Institute

We applaud Gov. Fallin’s call to fix Oklahoma’s structural budget deficits and reverse years of funding cuts that are damaging the health and prosperity of our entire state. The Legislature must heed the governor’s calls to reduce incarceration, fund a teacher pay raise, and restore the 5-day school week. Oklahoma knows how to address these problems, and we have no excuse not to do something this year.

Gov. Fallin’s tax reform proposals, whch include ending the corporate income tax and the sales tax on groceries while expanding the sales tax base in other ways, has potential to reduce revenue volatility and end one of the most regressive aspects of our tax system. However, these reforms must be carefully assessed for how they would affect families, the economy, and state revenues.

A grand bargain on tax reform should also include other policies to end loopholes, improve funding for the services Oklahomans need most, and make our tax system work for regular families – policies like rolling back cuts to Oklahoma’s Earned Income Tax Credit, restoring a higher income tax rate for very high incomes, and ending the capital gains tax break. Together these reforms would stabilize revenues and provide a strong foundation for all Oklahoma families to build a prosperous future.

Oklahoma Policy Institute is an independent non-partisan think tank based in Oklahoma City that advocates for responsible public policies.

Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs

Today’s executive budget pushes new tax increases on working families and entrepreneurs, which is the wrong path for our state. It’s a false choice to suggest the only way to balance the budget is to raise the cost of living and doing business in Oklahoma. There are still numerous spending reforms available to right-size government and fund core state services. The state could save hundreds of millions of dollars and prevent damaging tax increases on Oklahoma families if it was to end unnecessary wind subsidies, implement Medicaid reforms, cut administrative waste in higher education, and fully implement state and education employee health insurance reform.

The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs is a free-market, state-based think tank in Oklahoma City.

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