Back to school is always a time that I look forward to happening. I am excited that the new school year has started, and I pray for a safe, fun-filled year of learning to take place. I wish all the teachers and students a great year, and I hope they continue to grow and learn to make our world a better place.
I am thrilled to share that the new grocery tax goes into effect August 29, 2024, which is a much-needed financial relief for all families. The new tax relief defined sales of food and food ingredients are not subject to the state sales and use tax rate of 4.5% but will continue to be subject to local sales and use tax rates. There are some exceptions, so I am sharing the web address so that you can become familiar with what is taxable and what is not.
Here’s that webpage: https://oklahoma.gov/tax/businesses/state-sales-tax-on-food-and-food-ingredients.html
Last Tuesday, l attended the Oklahoma Wheat Growers annual meeting in Enid. It was an excellent time to connect with fellow wheat growers across the state and hear about new wheat varieties, many of which are developed at Oklahoma State University. Many other wheat research project outcomes were also presented.
Wednesday evening, I was invited by Gov. Stitt to attend the Disagree Better Summit held in OKC. State leaders throughout the state met at the Oklahoma City Memorial Museum to discuss meaningful ways to collaborate valuable legislation across party lines. If you have not been to the museum, I highly recommend going there.
Thursday morning, I was honored to present Ms. Janet Cordell with the OK Charitable Clinic Association’s Volunteer of the Year. I have known Janet and her family for many years, and it is wonderful to see her honored for her service to the at-risk individuals and the medically underserved in her community and as a missionary all over the world. Again, I want to congratulate Janet on a job well done.
As many of you know, the ONEOK facility in Medford was severely damaged by fire a while back. I am pleased to hear that they have decided to rebuild and continue to serve Medford and the surrounding communities. The rebuilding of the Medford facility is a $385 million dollar investment. Construction will start soon and last approximately 30 months. It should be up and running in Spring 2027. During construction, they anticipate 300-350 construction jobs and the return of roughly 20 long-term jobs.
Also, be aware of the run-off elections if your county has any on August 27th.
In closing, during the interim, I will continue to attend and speak at events within the district. If you need assistance, please reach out to my office. You can reach me at 405-521-5630 or Roland.Pederson@oksenate.gov.
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