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OKLAHOMA CITY — One might not think elevating the status of rib eye steaks has much to do with funding education, but one would be wrong.

At least that’s what one state representative tried to tell six colleagues Thursday morning during a House Tourism Committee meeting.

“The sales tax on the steak, for the state of Oklahoma, is approximately 4% (actually 4.5%),” Rep. Trey Caldwell, R-Lawton, explained in response to a question from Rep. Meloyde Blancett, D-Tulsa. “(Visitors) come into our casinos, they come into our restaurants like Mahogany’s or Cattleman’s or The Ranch, and instead of buying chicken fingers for $12 they buy a $57 steak, that’s a net positive. That gives the state more revenue, so that next year we can have that conversation that me and you probably agree on.”

Blancett had asked Caldwell to justify spending time on Senate Bill 21, which designates the rib eye the official state steak, when “we can’t fund public education in a timely manner.”

“I agree with you,” Caldwell said. “I ran on a very pro-education platform.”