Bill would let voters reduce threshold for passing tax hikes

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Oklahoma voters would decide whether to make it easier for their Legislature to raise taxes under a bill that has cleared its first hurdle.

The Senate Rules Committee on Wednesday approved a resolution asking voters to reduce the current threshold for passing a tax increase from a three-fourth’s majority of the Legislature to a three-fifth’s majority. The proposal would only apply to sales taxes.

The current three-fourth’s majority requirement for tax increases proved to be a major stumbling block for lawmakers who wanted to approve tax hikes to fund a teacher raise and stabilize the budget.

The bill now moves to the full Senate.

Gov. Mary Fallin on Tuesday signed into a law a budget that that imposes across-the-board cuts to state agencies for the rest of the fiscal year.