By D. Ray Tuttle
The Journal Record
Posted: 08:12 PM Tuesday, September 7, 2010
TULSA – Legislative leaders tiptoed around the issue of the Oklahoma Tax Commission collecting sales taxes during the Tulsa Metro Chamber’s Speaker Pro Tempore Forum on Tuesday.
Speaker of the House Chris Benge, Speaker-designate Kris Steele and state Sen. Brian Bingman eventually came out in support of the OTC over communities collecting their own sales tax.
The three legislators touched on a number of subjects, but the common theme was their opposition to State Question 744.
Tulsa signed a contract with an Alabama company to collect the city’s sales tax prior to a state law requiring the city to only deal with the Oklahoma Tax Commission.
House Bill 2359, passed on the last day of the session in May, requires municipalities to deal with the OTC in sales tax collections. The city of Tulsa pays the OTC $2 million annually for the service.
Tulsa moved to privative its sales tax collections prior to Gov. Brad Henry signing the measure into law. Tulsa claims the pact with Birmingham, Ala.-based Revenue Discovery Systems saves Tulsa 40 percent, or $80,000, compared to what the city pays to the OTC, said Mayor Dewey Bartlett Jr... FULL ARTICLE
Posted on
Tue, September 7, 2010
by Crystal Drwenski