Topic: Income Tax

Trigger Warning: Legislature sets itself up for another ill-timed income tax cut

By: David Blatt
December 8, 2016 // Updated: May 2, 2019
This time last year, Oklahoma was in the middle of a massive budget crisis. As revenues came in below projections, the state twice made across-the-board budget cuts that hit our schools, health care, roads, and other key building blocks of our… Read more [More...]

The Kansas tax cut experiment has a close cousin in Oklahoma

By: Gene Perry
January 25, 2016 // Updated: May 2, 2019
On January 28th, OK Policy’s annual State Budget Summit will include a keynote presentation on “The Failed Kansas Experiment.” In 2012, Kansas enacted major income tax cuts and totally eliminated the personal income tax for owners of certain businesses. Kansas… Read more [More...]

‘End the income tax’ broken record plays on

By: Gene Perry
November 4, 2015 // Updated: May 2, 2019
In a recent House interim study led by Rep. Mark McCullough, lawmakers returned to a subject that has been attempted several times in Oklahoma’s recent history. They once again looked at eliminating Oklahoma’s income tax or transforming it into a… Read more [More...]

Slashing taxes further is not the path to a strong economy

By: Gene Perry
June 3, 2015 // Updated: May 2, 2019
When any company leaves Oklahoma, it can mean hard times for the employees and their families. As a state and a community, we should offer support to those families and make sure workers have what they need to move on… Read more [More...]

Avoid ‘naked tax cuts with none of the pay fors’ (Guest post: Oklahoma Economic Report)

By: Guest
February 23, 2015 // Updated: May 2, 2019
This article originally appeared in State Treasurer Ken Miller’s monthly newsletter, the Oklahoma Economic Report. At the dawn of a new legislative session, current government expenses once again exceed expected revenues and agencies are lining up with $2 billion in… Read more [More...]

Tax cut trigger shoots Oklahoma deeper into hole

By: David Blatt
January 5, 2015 // Updated: May 1, 2019
Last month, the Board of Equalization certified that revenues will grow enough next year to trigger a cut in the state’s top income tax rate. At the same time, the Board determined that the state will have nearly $300 million… Read more [More...]

Study: Same-sex marriage will boost Oklahoma income tax revenue

By: Gene Perry
October 9, 2014 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Now that same-sex marriage is legal in Oklahoma, there’s one big question on everyone’s mind: how is it going to affect state tax revenue? Okay, maybe that’s not on everyone’s mind, but researchers at Tulane, Vanderbilt, and Western Kentucky Universities… Read more [More...]

The economic case for tax cuts is in shambles

By: Gene Perry
June 26, 2014 // Updated: May 2, 2019
When it comes to the role of taxes and public services in the economy, we too often engage in an ideological debate that changes no one’s mind. One side talks about the importance of investing in schools, roads, and public… Read more [More...]

5 things you should know about Oklahoma taxes

By: Gene Perry
April 15, 2014 // Updated: May 2, 2019
It’s tax day — the annual event when procrastinators, or those who just like to live on the edge, rush to get their tax returns filed before the midnight deadline. If your return is safely filed, or if you just… Read more [More...]

One More Time: Past income tax cuts did not cause Oklahoma revenues to rise

By: David Blatt
February 19, 2014 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Once again this session, proponents of cuts to Oklahoma’s top income tax rate are arguing that cutting taxes will lead to higher tax revenues, basing their position on the notion that Oklahoma’s tax collections rose after the state cut taxes… Read more [More...]