OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Cody Maynard, R-Durant, submitted comments and concerns to the Oklahoma Tax Commission concerning the proposed rules regarding House Bill 1934's Parental Choice Tax Credit.

"House Bill 1934 was intended to create a tax credit and not a voucher system in Oklahoma, yet the drafted rules have many voucher-like qualities," Maynard said. "Having submitted these comments, I hope to ensure that our wishes as a legislature are carried out and that a true tax credit is implemented rather than a voucher-style system."

In Maynard's submission, he outlined five significant issues in the proposed rules and requested that they be addressed and modified before the program goes live in December of this year. He asked for the following:

1. Remove the reporting burden on schools.
2. Eliminate the excessive and cumbersome IRS involvement.
3. Provide a way to redeem tax credits when filing a regular tax return, which is not allowed under the existing proposed rules.
4. Streamline and simplify the reporting process for parents.
5. Align payments with the traditional school year, not just the tax year, so parents receive their money on time.

"By proactively addressing the outlined issues, we have the opportunity to establish a tax credit system in Oklahoma that genuinely serves the best interests of families," Maynard said. "I am optimistic that the Oklahoma Tax Commission will see the value in the proposed changes." 

Maynard is a CPA and a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives A&B Education Subcommittee.