Federal fiscal outlook is wild card in Oklahoma income tax dealings

In the spirited debate over proposed income tax cuts for Oklahomans at this time last year, Kansas and Missouri were cited as examples of states where tax-cutting plans would put this state at a disadvantage. But opponents of Oklahoma tax cuts warned that Brownback and Kansas were overreaching. Kansas now faces a shortfall. Its governor must find offsets for revenue losses.

As the 2012 legislative session came to a close here, the tax cutters had lost the first round. Round 2 starts now. The 2012 knockout was partly due to the unpopularity of proposed revenue offsets. Brownback and Mary Fallin, his conservative Republican counterpart, committed themselves to cutting income taxes. Brownback succeeded. But at what price?

Conservatives hailed the Kansas tax cuts as a model for fiscal policy. The state's three tax brackets were 3.5 percent, 6.25 percent and 6.45 percent. The cuts created two brackets, of 3 percent and 4.9 percent. By contrast, Oklahoma's top rate is 5.25 percent. The lower the top rate, the harder it is to argue that the rate is too high. It was an easier argument to make in Kansas.

Nevertheless, Fallin and other Republicans will likely again call for tax cuts. But they may be more circumspect this time. They could even settle for the 4.9 percent rate in effect in Kansas. What will they settle for in the way of offsets? As is the case here, Kansas is looking at curtailment of tax credits, deductions and exemptions. This is exactly what steamrollered Oklahoma's tax-cutting plans last year: Every taxpayer benefiting from credits, deductions and/or exemptions was cool to the idea that a lower overall tax rate is worth the price.