For Immediate Release

February 6, 2017

Media Contact:

Angela Allmond, Communications Director

405-427-3366

Oklahoma Democratic Party

Fallin Wants a $1.1 Billion Tax Increase on The Middle-Class and Working Families



OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Democratic Party is dismayed that it took a billion-dollar revenue failure for Governor Fallin to recognize that we have a revenue problem, not a spending problem. Today she admitted that we need new revenue streams so that we can fund services, education, health care and public safety.

Fallin’s response to generating new revenue, however, falls short with burdensome taxes on the middle-class and working families in the form of $1.1 billion in new taxes on Oklahomans that can least afford it.

Representative Inman said in response to today’s address, “…while our caucus wants to find new revenues, we fundamentally disagree with the idea that shifting the tax burden from the wealthiest of Oklahomans to the poorest of Oklahomans [and] to middle-class families isn’t the way to provide prosperity and growth in Oklahoma.”

It’s time for us to push back. Fallin has refused to address and fix the systemic tax cuts and credits that have to lead us to where we are today.

Fallin is interested in teacher pay raises, criminal justice reform, and public safety but once again, she has failed to establish how we will fund these initiatives. On the one hand, she proposes eliminating the grocery sales tax, a cut that Democrats have been in favor of for years while raising the fuel tax and eliminating the corporate income tax. As Inman states, “[This] is not a fiscally responsible way to fund government.”

The Oklahoma Policy Institute states that Oklahoma needs to end the loopholes and create a tax system that works for families, “…policies like rolling back the cuts to Oklahoma’s Earned Income Tax Credit, restoring a higher income tax rate for very high incomes, and ending the capital gains tax break,“ would better stabilize revenues.

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The mission of the Oklahoma Democratic Party is to represent working people in Oklahoma and the best way to accomplish that is to elect Democrats to all areas of government. Oklahoma Democrats are progressive and sensible. We are optimistic about the future, and we are determined to see Oklahoma’s traditional values upheld. More information about the Oklahoma Democratic Party can be found at www.okdlive.wpengine.com or by calling (405) 427-3366