Up to the Minute..

Press Release
October 6, 2005

State Preparing to Issue Oklahoma Taxpayer Relief Payments
(Those who have moved without forwarding mail urged to complete address change)

If you need to change your address for reciept of your payment, please visit your local post office and complete a change of address card.

Final preparations are underway to issue Oklahoma Taxpayer Relief checks totaling more than $91 million to state taxpayers. The payments, a distribution of surplus state revenue, will be made between the end of November and the middle of December.

Gov. Brad Henry, who proposed the rebate program, is urging taxpayers to work with the state to ensure it has correct mailing addresses.

“We want to make sure that all taxpayers get the rebate checks they deserve,” Henry said. “These rebates are going to be a nice Christmas bonus for Oklahoma families, and we don’t want to see any unnecessary delays because a mailing address was out of date. The sooner taxpayers receive their rebate checks, the better for them and the Oklahoma economy.”

State Treasurer Scott Meacham, whose office is responsible for getting the checks distributed, said the first step is to make sure the state has correct information for everyone who is entitled to receive a payment.

“For the vast majority of taxpayers, no action is necessary. We have your mailing address, and your check will be coming,” Meacham said. “For those who have moved and had their mail forwarded, also no action is necessary. However, if you moved since last filing your taxes and you did not ask the post office to forward your mail, we need to hear from you.”

Meacham said those who have moved without having mail forwarded need to go to the state’s web site at www.ok.gov, click on the link entitled “Taxpayer Relief Address Change” and follow the onscreen instructions.

Meacham said those with no access to the internet at home or the office can visit any public library in Oklahoma. “Every public library in Oklahoma has full internet access and can help you get connected to the state’s web site to enter your change of address information.”

Meacham said time is of the essence. “We have a short timeline to get everything done to get these checks in the mail,” he said. “The change of address site will close on October 21st, two weeks from Friday.”

General information about Oklahoma Taxpayer Relief payments, including who is entitled to receive payment, is also available on the website.

Proposed by Governor Henry, the Oklahoma Taxpayer Relief payments were authorized in the closing days of the legislative session. The money represents surplus state revenue left over after the state’s Rainy Day Fund was filled to capacity at the end of the state’s fiscal year that ended June 30, 2005.

Payments to taxpayers that filed as an individual or married filing separately in 2004 will be approximately $45 each. Payments to taxpayers who filed as a surviving spouse, head of household or married filing jointly in 2004 will each be approximately $90.