Oklahoma Justices Axe Voter-Approved Lodging Tax Increase

A voter-approved ballot measure increasing lodging taxes in McCurtain County is invalid because the proposal wasn’t advertised properly as required under state law, the Oklahoma Supreme Court said.

The measure increased taxes on lodgings like hotel rooms and rented cabins from 3% to 5%. The Board of County Commissioners didn’t advertise the measure for four weeks in a local newspaper as required under Oklahoma Statutes Title 19 § 383 , which outlines how questions are submitted to voters, the Tuesday opinion said.

While the commissioners advertised their 2022 measure several ways, including radio ads, Facebook posts, and billboards, the statute ...