OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma Supreme Court has ruled that a proposed penny sales tax that would pay for a teacher pay raise and fund other areas of education in Oklahoma can be placed on a ballot for a statewide vote.
In a 6-3 decision Tuesday, the state's highest court rejected claims that measure unconstitutionally combines multiple subjects into a single vote.
The measure, known as Initiative Petition No. 403, was proposed by a group of education and business leaders who want a one-cent sales tax that would generate about $615 million a year to help fund education and teacher pay raises.
A conservative think tank opposed to higher taxes had challenged the petition, claiming it violates the requirement that any proposed constitutional amendment pertain to only one subject.