Broken Arrow Lawmaker Asks For AG Opinion On Municipal Tax Questions

State Representative Mike Ritze of Broken Arrow has asked for an opinion from Attorney General Scott Pruitt on several questions regarding municipal taxes.

Ritze says his request has to do with Vision2, the proposed extension of the Vision2025 sales tax, which will be on the November 6 ballot for voters in Tulsa County.

Representative Ritze says wants answers to several questions:

1. If the voters of a county or a municipality have approved a county or municipal tax, can the purpose for which the tax was originally imposed be modified without submitting the question authorizing the change for voter approval?
2. May the duration of a county or municipal tax be extended beyond the original duration approved by voters?
3. Is there any provision in Oklahoma law that allows either sitting county commissioners or municipal officials to initiate a tax levy which will commence on a date beyond their term of office?

"I look forward to seeing the attorney general's opinion on these three questions and I think it will help clarify a debate going on in Tulsa County currently," Mike Ritze said.

The request comes just weeks after News On 6 aired an Oklahoma Impact Team story by Jennifer Loren.

Loren's story concerned a Tulsa man's crusade to stop what he says is over-taxation and over-spending. Don Wyatt is leading a conservative, citizen driven watchdog group questioning how tax dollars are spent in Tulsa County.

7/23/2012 Related Story: Property Tax Protest; Tulsa County Checks and Balances Questioned

Oklahoma Impact Team stories.