Mazzei Minute 01/12/2026

I keep getting asked, “Mike, how can you make Oklahoma a no-income tax state while also eliminating property taxes for seniors?”  The answer is simpler than it sounds.

First, it’s important to know that state income tax collections and local property tax collections fund completely different government services.  Many of these services are core priorities for taxpayers and must continue to be funded.  But numerous government spending programs, at both the state and county level, are not priorities.

The State of Oklahoma does need to fund schools, roads, and state troopers.  What taxpayers should not be asked to fund is unnecessary corporate welfare that benefits only a select few.  Is it fair to ask Oklahomans to pay $250 million dollars to help a Middle East company pay its utility bills?  I don’t think so.

At the county level, funding the sheriff’s office and school buildings is essential.  But counties should not be funding the most expensive pension systems for county government employees.  The state of Oklahoma wisely got out of that business more than a decade ago for state workers and is now saving millions of dollars.

By eliminating hundreds of millions of dollars in unnecessary government spending, we can make meaningful progress toward becoming a no-income tax state and abolishing property taxes for seniors.  Let’s be the first in the state to accomplish both and put Oklahoma on the scoreboard as a national leader.

Money, investment and jobs go where taxes are the lowest.  Right now, Oklahoma is falling behind.  Arkansas has passed us with a 3.99% income tax rate.  Arizona is even lower at 2.5%. Capital, investments and jobs are flying to these states.  

It’s time we get in the game!  We’ve been watching the speedsters from the sidelines for far too long.