Mazzei Minute 08/08/25

If the government can confiscate your home at any time, do you really own your home? I have been asked this question on the campaign trail more than once.  Understandably, Oklahomans wonder about the truth of private property rights when just one hard financial challenge could see their home of decades confiscated for failure to pay the annual property tax.

I was reminded recently that the one true purpose of government under our constitutional system is this: the government protects the rights of the people, not the other way around.

It’s time for major property tax reform in Oklahoma to reduce the burden of escalating property taxes, preferably for everyone, but at least for seniors on a fixed income.  After decades of working hard to pay off the house mortgage, pay property taxes to support local schools, and pay income taxes for every dollar you earn, it’s time for a break!

The average annual increase in Oklahoma property valuation over the last 10 years ranges from 4% to 5%.  Therefore, over the same time period that the value of a dollar has decreased by 27%, the property tax bill has gone up 40% or more.  Seniors living on a fixed income can’t keep up, and they tell me they are worried about losing their homes.

It's time we ELIMINATED property taxes for seniors at age 65 if they make less than the $100,000 of taxable income.  These hard-working Oklahomans deserve to own their own homes with NO threat of confiscation, and they certainly don’t need to be paying for large school bond programs when their kids are done with school and college. 

There is plenty of evidence in several counties all over the state that property tax cash flow EXCEEDS the amount needed to pay off the interest cost on money borrowed for large-scale school building and sports facilities.  Tulsa Community College has so much extra money that it now offers non-Tulsa County residents free tuition for the first year.  County residents already get 2 years of free tuition through the Tulsa Achieve Program.

Several conservative legislators are working on multiple ideas for property tax reform.  I look forward to studying all of them, and I hope by the time I am Oklahoma’s next governor, we can offer real relief to Oklahomans.

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