State Democrats To Hold News Conference After House Passes State Budget

Democrats in the Oklahoma state Legislature will hold a news conference on the fiscal year 2022 budget.

Democratic leadership from both the House and the Senate will hold a news conference of the more than $8 billion budget.

It cleared the state House on Tuesday.

Democrats argued that the $800 million in saving with this budget could have been put to good use, with House Minority Leader Emily Virgin pointing out things like ending state sales tax on groceries and giving state workers a pay raise could have made a difference.

“When folks are paying their taxes to the State of Oklahoma, I don’t think that they are asking us to stow it away in a savings account,” said Virgin, D-Norman. "They want us to take care of the needs of Oklahomans.”

Meanwhile, House Appropriations and Budget Chair Kevin Wallace is calling it the budget "the most comprehensive budget I have seen in my tenure."

The budget itself boosts education funding. It also has a reinstatement of the earned income tax credit for low earners and a personal income tax cut, that cleared the House along party lines and is estimated to save Oklahomans about $150 per year.

The budget now heads to the state Senate.

Democratic leaders from both the House and the Senate will host a news conference at noon on Thursday.