"Oklahoma and the Cherokee Nation have signed a new tobacco agreement, which hopefully signals an end to years of disputes over an arcane but important issue.

There's reason to suspect the deal will be a model for future, similar pacts with other tribes in the cigarette business.

The agreement reduces the tax on cigarettes sold at Tulsa-area Cherokee smoke shops by 20 cents.

It also eliminates a much lower "border" tax rate for shops along the state line. That border rate created a consistent pattern of questionable cigarette shuffling — low-tax border stamp cigarettes showing up a long way from the state border.

There will be those who won't be happy with the deal. It doesn't do anything to appease non-Indian retailers who don't understand why they have to charge a much higher tax rate on cigarettes. Without question, the compact ensures an insuperable competitive price advantage for the smoke shops."

Get the Story:
Editorial: New deal (The Tulsa World 11/13)

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