End To Death Tax One Of New Oklahoma Laws

By Jeffrey Smith, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- More than a dozen new state laws are on the books for the New Year. Nine of the 13 new laws deal with changes to the tax code.

State representatives say because of the recession, revenue and taxation is a major focus for 2010.

The Speaker of the House says the new laws will help Oklahomans, still suffering through the recession. One law, for example, speeds up the payment of Tax Commission rebate checks to local cities.

"In Oklahoma, we see that we should show respect for taxpayers, and provide relief when we can," said Chris Benge, Speaker of the House (R-Tulsa).

Another law helps families who lose a loved one in battle. It states any payment to a soldier killed in action will be exempt from state income taxes. 

Still another new law extends a 50 percent tax credit for clean-burning cars and trucks.

"We think it will help deliver us from our dependence on foreign oil, and also, the other benefit for Oklahoma is that it will be good for Oklahoma because it will create more jobs," Benge said. 

Oklahoma will soon have a statewide Chief Information Officer to coordinate information-technology efforts between all state agencies.

"Try to imagine it being like a big corporation, and you have all these different departments doing their own IT. Well that's a terribly inefficient way to deliver that service," Benge said.

The CIO will earn at least $130,000 dollars a year, and his staff of managers and specialists will take home more than a million dollars. But Benge says a dedicated IT czar will ultimately save the state millions. 

The 74-year-old estate tax has been repealed. It forced living relatives to pay an special tax on the property of the deceased.

"For many years we felt it was one of the most, if not the most, unfair tax that has been assessed on our citizens," said Chris Benge, Oklahoma Speaker of the House.

The so-called death tax didn't live to see the beginning of the new decade.