Study Shows Undocumented Immigrants Pay Millions In State, Local Taxes
A national study found that undocumented immigrants in Oklahoma pay hundreds of millions of dollars in state and local taxes.
The research comes from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.
The study shows almost 90,000 immigrants in Oklahoma without legal permission paid more than $227 million in state and local taxes in 2022, and notes that number could go up if they were granted work authorization.
Gabriela Ramirez-Perez is Oklahoma Policy Institute’s immigration policy analyst. She said the report found those immigrants pay taxes for programs like Medicare but are barred from getting the benefit.
“It really tackles the persistent myth that undocumented immigrants don't pay taxes by countering it with clear data that shows that undocumented immigrants, in fact, do pay tax and contribute significantly to our community,” Ramirez-Perez said.
Undocumented immigrants in the state largely work in areas like food services, construction and manufacturing.
Four Teachers Face Hearings
The State Board of Education decided against suspending the teaching certificates of several Oklahoma educators at Wednesday’s board meeting.
That came despite State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ comments at the beginning of the meeting.
According to the meeting agenda, four teachers were up for a vote to suspend their teaching certificates.
One of those, Ardmore teacher Alison Scott, made headlines when X account, Libs of TikTok, posted a screenshot of her social media comment regarding former President Donald Trump’s assassination attempt, saying she wished the shooter had a better scope. Walters addressed the issue at the top of the meeting.
“No one will be allowed to teach in the state of Oklahoma if they advocate the assassination of President Trump or any elected official,” Walters said.
Another teacher, Regan Killackey, is an outspoken critic of House Bill 1775, Oklahoma’s so-called critical race theory ban.
The Edmond teacher is also a plaintiff in the ACLU lawsuit over the law.
But after executive session, the board instead voted to allow the teachers to go through normal due process and be sent to a hearing officer - meaning for now, they keep their teaching certificates.
Former State Lawmaker Sentenced For 2022 Deadly Crash
A former state Representative was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison for involuntary manslaughter.
Dan Kirby, a former Republican Representative from Tulsa and Eufaula City Councilmember, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison on Monday.
Last year, he was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for the 2022 death of his girlfriend, Sheryl Bichsel, who died in a motorcycle crash in which she was the passenger and Kirby was the driver.
The jury found Kirby was intoxicated to the point of impairment at the time of the crash, although records show his blood alcohol content was well below the legal limit.
However, marijuana and other drugs were also found in his system, though Kirby says he had a medical marijuana license and prescriptions for everything else.
The case was tried in federal court because Kirby is a member of the Muscogee Nation.
Upgrades Coming To Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame
The Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in Muskogee is set to undergo a transformation.
Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, Muskogee Mayor Patrick Cale and members of the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame came together Wednesday to unveil a rebranding and renovation project for the historic building.
Two Oklahoma design firms are collaborating on the $2.4 million project to modernize the space and create an immersive experience for visitors to connect with Oklahoma through its musical stories.
Right now, the space is dominated by the music hall for live performances.
The project redesigns the space to place emphasis on the museum’s exhibits as well.
Public and private sources funded this endeavor to invest in tourism and Oklahoma’s music industry.
Construction is expected to begin later this year.
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