Taxpayer money approved for Stitt’s ex-company

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A panel that includes appointees of Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has approved more taxpayer subsidies for the Jenks-based company that Stitt founded.

The three-member Quality Jobs Program Incentive Approval Committee on Thursday voted to approve a contract with Gateway First Bank. Under the program, companies can qualify for quarterly cash payments based on how many new jobs they create. The online publication The Frontier first reported on the new contract.

Stitt founded Gateway Mortgage Group and served as its CEO. After he was elected, the state’s attorney general approved Stitt’s plan to separate from the company, which later became a bank.