Representative John Talley
From the desk of Representative John Talley, District 33
(Oklahoma House of Representatives) – Act 1955 will take effect on August 29th and eliminate the state’s 4.5% grocery tax. This move brings much-needed financial relief to Oklahomans and underscores our commitment to easing the financial burden on our citizens. I was so proud to vote for this bill, which was long overdue.
This historic tax cut is the largest single-year tax cut in state history, saving the average Oklahoman about $105.79 and families even more. This financial buffer is incredibly important for people living paycheck to paycheck or on a fixed income, especially in light of inflation. With food prices rising faster than many other expenses, any price fluctuation puts a strain on families’ budgets.
While HB1955 eliminates the state portion of the grocery tax, local and county sales taxes are unaffected. These local taxes are essential to funding essential services like local fire, EMS, police, and more. Additionally, not all food is affected. Ready-to-eat foods, such as those available at a supermarket counter, reheated foods, and deli items will still be taxed. For a full list of tax-free items, visit Oklahoma.gov/tax.html.
I am so proud to see this bill pass into law and give money back to our constituents.
I also want to congratulate my grandson Stran Talley for his second place finish in the first ever Oklahoma State Finals for the National Civics Bee!
The Oklahoma State Chamber has partnered with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation to host this first-of-its-kind statewide civics competition for sixth, seventh and eighth graders from across Oklahoma. The competition began last spring as a regional contest that required submission of an essay on a program topic that students felt was a serious concern for their community.
Five students from across the state competed in the state finals in Oklahoma City on Wednesday, and two of them were from Stillwater: Stran and Harry Wang! The overall winner was Cullen Perez, an eighth-grader at Lawton MacArthur Middle School, and he will soon compete in the national competition in Washington, DC.
This is a fun way to get more students excited about civics and get them interested in their government. I want to thank the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation for launching this program in 2022 and the Oklahoma State Chamber for sponsoring and running the competition for the first time in our state this year.
As always, you can call me at (405) 557-7304 or email me at (email protected) if there is anything I can help with. Thank you for the honor of representing our district!
