Oklahoma court denies stay in lawsuit challenging fees and taxes

Oklahoma court denies stay in lawsuit challenging fees and taxes
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – The Oklahoma Supreme Court has denied a request to stop the state from collecting a new 1.25 percent tax on automobile sales.
The court on Friday denied a stay requested in a lawsuit by Republican gubernatorial candidate Gary Richardson, allowing the tax to go into effect on Saturday.
The lawsuit also challenges new fees on electric and compressed natural gas vehicles that’s to go into effect Nov. 1, and a law uncoupling Oklahoma’s standard deduction rate for income tax returns from the federal rate.
The court has scheduled oral arguments in the lawsuit for Aug. 8, the same day it will hear arguments in a lawsuit by auto dealers that also challenges the vehicle sales tax and a lawsuit by tobacco companies challenging a $1.50 per pack fee on cigarettes.