Governor Kevin Stitt has vetoed parts of the $9.8 billion dollar state budget passed in May by the Oklahoma Legislature and is calling for a special session to increase tax relief.

Stitt disapproves of the Legislature’s choice to provide a $75 “tax rebate” to Oklahomans and the repeal of the motor vehicle sales tax. Stitt wants more tax relief because of the rise of inflation and its impact.

Stitt is using his line-item veto on the general appropriations bill which removes $360,000 for printing Attorney General opinions and blocks an appropriation to increase the pay for private prison companies.

Stitt claims he and his budget team were left out of budget negotiations until after it was made public in early May.

Stitt has called for a special session starting on June 13 so that the Legislature could pass inflation relief. Stitt wants the grocery tax eliminated and the personal income tax rate to be reduced.

“Families across Oklahoma are suffering from record inflation caused by President Biden’s disastrous policies,” Stitt said. “Oklahomans are paying skyrocketing prices to feed their families and need relief right now, not a check for a tank of gas that will come in December.”

“Oklahoma is one of just 13 states that taxes groceries, and it most affects the people who can least afford it. Our strong fiscal discipline over the years has given us the ability to eliminate this tax and now is the right time to do it.”

Stitt said the move by the GOP leadership to send out rebate checks mirrored the policies of President Biden and was a waste of $181 million.

“The House will respond to the governor’s many inaccurate and misleading statements in due course,” said House Speaker Charles McCall.

House Speaker Pro Tempore Kyle Hilbert said the constitutional role the governor in the budget process is to present the executive budget proposal in the State of the State Address and the Legislature takes over from there.