Topic: Income Tax

The needs of everyday Oklahomans outweigh tax cuts that benefit the wealthy

By: Emma Morris
February 6, 2023 // Updated: February 6, 2023
As Oklahoma’s 2023 legislative session begins, the perennial push for tax cuts that would shrink state revenue will likely return. In 2022, leaders of the Oklahoma House of Representatives championed tax cuts – primarily focusing on reducing the personal income… Read more [More...]

Personal income tax cuts won’t deliver relief to low- and middle-class Oklahomans

By: Emma Morris
April 20, 2022 // Updated: May 27, 2022
Cuts to the individual income tax rate are unfair to low- and middle-class families since they return the largest benefit to the wealthiest Oklahomans. Tax cuts now can devastate state revenue and funding for services like public education in future years. [More...]

Cutting taxes this year would be short-sighted and harmful

By: Emma Morris
March 17, 2022 // Updated: June 14, 2022
This legislative session, the Oklahoma legislature is set to consider several proposals that would significantly cut state revenue. Rather than cutting taxes, legislators must consider the state’s long-term fiscal health and its structural deficit by maintaining revenue streams this year and for years to come. [More...]

Statement, Re: FY 2022 Budget Agreement

By: Dave Hamby
May 13, 2021 // Updated: May 13, 2021
More than 100 days into this current legislative session, Oklahoma lawmakers emerged from weeks of closed door discussions to release details for the coming year’s state budget.  Based on the information presented during a Thursday afternoon media conference, we’re pleased… Read more [More...]

We have better options than a costly and poorly-targeted income tax cut

By: Paul Shinn
April 7, 2021 // Updated: April 6, 2021
Lawmakers should set aside both of these bills and have a broader discussion about whether it's more important to broadly cut taxes than to provide public services, invest in our state’s future, save for the next economic downturn, or provide better-targeted tax reduction. [More...]

House Speaker unveils tax cut proposals (Capitol Update) 

By: Steve Lewis
March 1, 2021 // Updated: March 1, 2021
House Speaker Charles McCall announced last week his intention to work on legislation to reduce the personal income tax and to eliminate the corporate income tax over five years. Last Tuesday, McCall removed his House Bill 2041 from the Rules… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma’s working families need a tax cut. Here’s why

By: Paul Shinn
April 15, 2020 // Updated: March 2, 2021
Contrary to talking points from state boosters, Oklahoma is not a low tax state for all Oklahomans. Our regressive tax system ensures that low-income Oklahomans pay more in taxes, as a share of their income, than high-income taxpayers. [More...]

Oklahoma’s spending on senior tax breaks is costly and poorly targeted

By: David Blatt
July 10, 2019 // Updated: July 10, 2019
Tax breaks for seniors cost Oklahoma an estimated $310 million annually and do little to help the seniors most in need, according to a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. [More...]

A day without taxes…

By: Paul Shinn
April 15, 2019 // Updated: May 2, 2019
I’ve had it. Why can’t we make society work without taxes? I’m willing to try, I think, as I doze off… [More...]

2018 Policy Priority: Restore the Income Tax on High Incomes

By: Gene Perry
January 25, 2018 // Updated: May 2, 2019
See the full list of our 2018 policy priorities. Download this fact sheet as a PDF. Background Since the mid-1990s, Oklahoma’s top income tax rate has been reduced from 7 percent to 5 percent. The most recent top rate cut… Read more [More...]