Surprise! States without an income tax have higher sales and property taxes

States without an income tax rely on other taxes to fund government. Far from discovering magical, revenue boosting powers by not having an income tax, these states simply charge higher sales and property taxes. A new report from the Center… Read more [More...]

Pay-as-you-go is a promising approach to fiscal responsibility

As Oklahoma’s tax debate unfolds, it has been encouraging to hear a rising chorus of influential voices insist that any tax plan must be revenue neutral. Given deep cuts that state agencies have absorbed in recent years and the long-term… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma economists give Laffer a failing grade

The push to eliminate Oklahoma’s personal income tax relies heavily for intellectual support on a study done for the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs by economist Arthur Laffer and his colleagues at Aduin, Laffer & Moore econometrics. Last month we… Read more [More...]

Graph of the Day: Tax collections at historic lows

The share of income Oklahomans pay in state taxes has fallen to its lowest point in decades.  In 2010, Oklahomans paid just 5.5 percent of their total income in state taxes.  This includes sales tax, income tax, motor vehicle tax,… Read more [More...]

Economics 102

Arthur Laffer and OCPA have begun responding to a few of the many criticisms of their tax proposal. Their latest argument boils down to this: it’s “Economics 101” that tax cuts are always pro-growth, because when less income goes to… Read more [More...]

Fallin off a cliff

The tax cut plans being pushed by Oklahoma lawmakers contain plenty of bad ideas, but one may eclipse them all: Governor Fallin’s tax cliff. The tax cliff is the result of a badly designed tax bracket structure. Very few other… Read more [More...]

Betting the Farm: Ending the income tax creates huge risks for rural Oklahoma

Could doing away with Oklahoma’s income tax shift taxes not only onto low and middle–income families but also from urban areas to rural areas? Many programs, services, and incentives important for rural Oklahoma rely on our existing revenue structure and… Read more [More...]

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… Read more [More...]

Tax Foundation ranks Oklahoma among lowest tax states for business

A new study of state tax costs on business from the Tax Foundation ranks Oklahoma fifth best in the nation for new firms and 16th best for mature firms. Among states in the region, Oklahoma ranked second lowest in business… Read more [More...]

STATEMENT: Troubling new details on Governor Fallin's tax plan

Oklahoma Policy Institute Director David Blatt released a statement in response to Governor Fallin’s tax plan, which will be heard in a House committee for the first time this afternoon: As details emerge about Governor Fallin’s plan, more problems are… Read more [More...]