Pressured to cut Oklahoma income taxes, Senate leader says he won’t put it to a vote

Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, speaks during a legislative budget summit on May 6 at the state Capitol. (Photo by Janelle Stecklein/Oklahoma Voice)

OKLAHOMA CITY – State leaders on Monday pressured Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat to make his members vote on another tax cut.

“Your (campaign) flyers are telling people that you’re for tax cuts, you’re for limited government, you’re for smaller government,” Gov. Kevin Stitt said. “And so, let’s put a vote up. Let’s be honest with Oklahomans where we stand on this issue.”

Stitt and legislative leaders met again Monday in public to negotiate a fiscal year 2025 budget. For the third day, they adjourned without an agreement, but are expected to reconvene.

Treat, R-Oklahoma City, after repeated questioning, said he would not put the matter to a vote in the upper chamber.

“You don’t run the Senate chamber,” Treat said to Stitt. “I decide what goes up for a vote on the Senate floor in consultation with my caucus. I am not going to sit here and give you control of the Senate.”

Senators who vote against a proposed income tax could find their position used on the campaign trail.

Stitt and House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, are pushing for reductions in the income tax.

Treat has pushed back, saying the Senate had already agreed to eliminate the state’s sales tax on groceries and a litany of other taxes over the past few years.

“If my members go to the door and say they are for less taxes, they have a record to prove it,” Treat said.

He said the state cannot afford another tax cut and had concerns that with all the federal relief dollars coming into the system, the true economic picture may not be known.

Treat asked Stitt what services he wanted to cut to pay for the tax cut.

Stitt has called three unsuccessful special sessions to reduce taxes.

Legislative leaders spent Monday going through spending proposals agency by agency, trying to determine what they agreed upon. They appeared to be in agreement on a number of issues.

Stitt said it was the wrong approach.

“Everybody’s been playing Santa Claus (which) is not something I signed up for,” Stitt said. “I represent 4 million Oklahomans that are hurting with inflation, not bigger government,  Pro Tem.”

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