(The Center Square) - Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt criticized the $9.7 billion budget passed by state lawmakers and called them back into session to consider his plan to cut the state's grocery tax.
Stitt's plan unveiled Thursday afternoon would also reduce personal income taxes, which coupled with the grocery tax cut would save families about $453 a year, he said. He is calling for a special session on June 13.
Lawmakers agreed to give individual taxpayers rebates of $75, which would be issued in December. That money would be federally taxed and not give families real relief, Stitt said.
"It's a slap in the face to hard-working Oklahomans and its a political gimmick during an election year," Stitt said. "I never expected Republicans to take a page out of Joe Biden's liberal playbook and waste $181 million sending government checks out."
Stitt vetoed House Bill 4473 and House Bill 4474, which would have established the Inflation Relief Stimulus Fund and allocated the $181 million for the $75 relief checks.
The governor also vetoed Senate Bill 1075, eliminating the $1.25% sales tax on motor vehicles.
"That's not real relief," Stitt said. "It only helps those who can afford a new car or truck in the first place. Cutting the new car sales tax does nothing for families who are struggling to afford prices for food, groceries, gas and everything in-between."
Several bills were floated during the legislative session that would have eliminated the grocery tax, some sponsored by Democrats.
"I applaud the Democrats," Stitt said. "If they're on board with grocery tax elimination, let's go."
Stitt said his administration was largely left out of budget negotiations and accused lawmakers of making "backroom deals."
He said he would not sign the budget bill but would let it go into effect.
The governor vetoed two other bills. One would have allocated $360,000 to print attorney general opinions.
The other would have blocked "appropriation to private, out-of-state companies that directly negotiated a pay increase with members of the Legislature rather than the Oklahoma Department of Corrections," according to a news release from Stitt's office.
via Oklahoma's Center Square News