Editorial: Oklahoma tribal tobacco compact woes

Friday, May 2, 2008  

"If the old cigarette compacts with Native American tribes worked so well, why were they abandoned?

State Treasurer Scott Meacham has been criticized because the state has lost money on cigarette tax collections for the past four years. Four years ago, Meacham headed renegotiations with the tribes on cigarette taxes.

Meacham said Tuesday that some people have conducted a “malicious, hateful, untruthful attack” against him because of the problems the new compacts have posed.

The nations are going to be reluctant to give up the compacts they have with the state, and while some criticism may be unfair, Meacham has been Gov. Brad Henry’s point man in most dealings with Native American tribes.

Now, Meacham observes that the old compacts, which had a single tax rate for all areas of Oklahoma, worked well and posed few problems.

Again, if the old compacts worked so well ..."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Tobacco tax woes (The Muskogee Phoenix 5/2)

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