Simpson pleased newspaper tax exemption bill killed

OKLAHOMA CITY – On Tuesday, the Senate Finance Committee voted down a measure to repeal the sales tax exemption on newspaper and periodicals.  Sen. Frank Simpson was one of thirteen who voted against Senate Bill 1098.  The only vote of approval came from the bill’s author, Sen. Jim Wilson, a democrat from Tahlequah.  

“Our newspapers are the major source of information in our communities.  Freedom of the press is one of our most treasured freedoms,” said Simpson, R-Ardmore.  “In the words of Chief Justice John Marshall, ‘the power to tax is the power to destroy.’  Senate Bill 1098 would have in essence taxed the freedom of the press and our right to free speech.  This was just a bad bill and I’m glad that it was killed in committee.”

The measure is now considered dead for the 2012 session and cannot be brought back up this year.