Category Archives: Business

Cutting Oklahoma’s State Grocery Tax

By: Rep. John Kane

We are facing a 40-year high in inflation, which raises a lot of concern. In response to the rising costs of living, the House remains committed to providing relief to the people of Oklahoma.

Recent data shows that the average Oklahoman spends almost $300 per trip to the grocery store, making Oklahoma one of the top 10 states with the highest weekly grocery bills. A poll conducted in September 2022 revealed that 78% of respondents support eliminating the state grocery tax.

Last week, the Senate passed House Bill 1955, which the House had passed 11 months ago, to eliminate the state’s portion of the grocery tax. In addition to eliminating the state’s 4.5% tax, it includes a provision preventing municipalities and counties from raising sales taxes on groceries until June 30, 2025.

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Bill Puts Air Marshals Back in the Sky

By David Arnett

While national media have dutifully covered incidents of airline passenger conflict in-flight they typically fail to mention that Air Marshals, once present on commercial airlines, have been diverted to process criminals during President Biden’s contrived, deliberate, and promoted southern border invasion.

In response to the growing airborne insanity, U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-Texas) Tuesday introduced the NO FAMS at the Border Act, legislation that would put federal air marshals back on airplanes as the administration has sent hundreds of federal law enforcement officials to the border . Under the bill, an air marshal could be sent to the border only if the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, gave written certification to Congress verifying the existence of a border crisis which he has often denied contrary to observable facts.

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Tulsa Music Census Launches Today

By David Arnett

The Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts & Culture (Tulsa FMAC) today launched the Tulsa Music Census, an initiative to gain a better understanding of the current needs of the Tulsa music community.  

The survey (available by clicking here) is live and being distributed in collaboration with more than 50 community engagement partners including institutions like Philbrook Museum of Art, WOMPA, Marshall Brewing Co. and more. Click here for the full list of community engagement partners. 

This effort is part of a multi-city cohort program, administered by Sound Music Cities, a leading Austin-based provider of music ecosystem studies and music census work. The program will allow Tulsa to gain insight from other cities and their best practices. Community engagement partners will have their brand affiliated with the project and will receive a sneak peek of the census results in exchange for their assistance sharing the survey. 

“Tulsa is such a great addition to this cohort,” said Don Pitts, president of Sound Music Cities. ”They are ready to engage their community and take a data-driven approach to growing Tulsa’s rich musical heritage into a destination. Their eagerness to embrace the data in generating a practical and impactful action plan with the community is inspiring and elevating the whole cohort.”  

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Tulsa & OKC in Top 10 for Value

By Jaclyn Dejohn, Managing Editor of Economic Analysis, SmartAsset

With taxes, housing, food and other costs varying widely across the U.S., a $100,000 income can look drastically different depending on where you live. Even places that don’t charge residents a state or local income tax can see a wide range for how far a dollar stretches thanks to cost of living differences. Because of the nature of compounding, the wide differences in the value of a $100k income can have life-changing effects on your long-term finances, particularly early on in your investment career.

With this in mind, SmartAsset adjusted a $100,000 income for federal, state and local taxes, as well as local cost of living premiums, to find the purchasing power – or effective value – of that money in 72 of the largest U.S. cities. Good News in Oklahoma, both Tulsa and OKC score in the top ten for value.

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OK Tax Cuts on the Table

By Mike Mazzei

Analysis: Would you like to pay less taxes? I’d like to pay less taxes. Who wouldn’t? For the 2024 Oklahoma Legislative Session, everyone is talking about a tax cut, and several proposals are flying through the halls of the Capitol.

Gov. Kevin Stitt has asked the Legislature to pass a tax cut of 0.25 to lower the state income tax from 4.75% to 4.5%. The reduction in tax collections would be approximately $250 million.

The leaders in the Senate have wisely discussed caution to await the latest financial analysis on tax collection projections that come out this month. They would like to see the effects of the tax reductions for both personal and corporate income taxes that passed two years ago.

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