Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt continues push for grocery, income tax cuts: 'Put it on my desk'

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is ready to sign any or all tax cuts that cross his desk, despite a warning from Senate leadership the state can’t afford more than one cut this year.

The state Legislature has considered two main pathways this session: an income tax cut that Stitt has pushed for in two special sessions over the last 12 months, and a grocery sales tax cut set forward by Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat.

While the income tax bill is the faster option and could be on Stitt’s desk next week, Treat’s Senate Bill 1283 would eliminate the state’s portion of the grocery tax, about 4.5%, and help Oklahomans five and a half times more than the income tax cut, his office claims.

“I’m glad he’s talking about the relief,” Stitt said at a news conference on Friday. "And if it could help Oklahomans, put it on my desk."

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Income tax cut or grocery tax cut?

But if the state could only have one cut, Stitt said he’d prefer cutting the income tax by .25% because it would get Oklahoma on a path to a zero percent income tax, and it also would make the state more business-friendly.

Stitt said if an income tax cut would bring more businesses to Oklahoma, then education, infrastructure, workforce and quality of life could all improve.

Stitt also argued that government spending was increasing faster than the state’s population. He displayed a chart showing state spending has grown from close to $7 billion to $12.96 billion from 2010 to last year.

“This is unsustainable. We need to slow the growth of government,” he said.

More: State revenue estimates good, but not good enough for two tax cuts, Senate leader says

Oklahoma should not support higher education with declining enrollment, Gov. Stitt says

In relation to education, Stitt noted the state’s investment in a 20% increase for public education and another big increase in higher education last year. He said Oklahomans should not fund higher education institutions that have a decline in enrollment and don’t graduate as many students.

“I try to remind people that if we spend every dime we have every year, then we’re going to be in a bad situation. It’s really not tax cuts that ultimately hurt you," the governor said. "It’s unrestricted spending that’s going to hurt you in the end and you’re just going to keep raising those base-level expense numbers.”

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He said he would rather see funding go to successful programs and ones that get kids ready for the workforce.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt continues push for grocery, income tax cuts