By Constitution Staff

There are better options than becoming a “me too” state reducing income tax by a fraction of one percent. One option would be to eliminate property taxes in favor of a small increase in state and or city sales tax to replace the loss of revenue. Then everyone including those just passing through who stop to eat, shop, buy fuel or stay overnight would help bear the burden of costs funded by property taxes. Then we could really own our homes. We would no longer have to endure the sticker shock when the annual tax bill arrives. The property tax bureaucracy would no longer be needed saving tens of millions in administrative costs since a sales tax collection system is already in place. People and businesses would be attracted to our state without having to offer huge incentives and other handouts of which Oklahoma does not have the deep pockets of states like Texas.

Speaking of Texas. I managed a small manufacturing plant in Oklahoma for 19 years prior to retirement. That plant paid $5,000 PER MONTH in property taxes. Another plant south of Fort Worth owned by the same company with a bit larger factory but with less total area of property paid $40,000 PER MONTH in property taxes.

I do not see a downside to elimination of property taxes in favor of slight increases in sales taxes. Any increases in sales tax thereafter becomes very visible as opposed to the automatic increases in property taxes that are forced upon us nearly every year.

Jory Gromer

Guthrie, OK