Democrats cried “corporate welfare” but the Oklahoma House voted Thursday in favor of a measure to give an exemption to big trucks, trailers, cargo vehicles and even oil-field frac tanks from the State’s new automobile sales tax.
The vote was 60 to 20 as HB 1074 was sent to the State Senate.
Rep. Bobby Cleveland, a Republican from Slaughterville supported the measure, claiming it would stop the loss of employees and business.
But Democrat Collin Walke, a Representative from Oklahoma City called it corporate welfare claiming Rep. Cleveland had no economic analysis to support his claims.
“What is great amounts of revenue? No one knows and you all are gonna vote for this bill and you don’t know the consequences,” he argued. “No body should be free from helping pay the price to fix what’s wrong!”
Rep. Matt Meredith, a Democrat from Tahlequah said the “games being played here at 23rd and Lincoln are ridiculous” adding, “I didn’t come here to play games.”
He argued the sales tax exemption would really amount to an increase in taxes on the average taxpayer “amounting to corporate welfare.”
While the bill passed, there weren’t enough votes to have it take effect immediately.
The Senate won’t handle it until the coming week.