Legislature considering tax on electric power association

City Manager Craig Stephenson told City Commissioners on Monday that the state legislature is considering requiring the city’s wholesale power supplier, the Oklahoma Municipal Power Authority (OMPA), to contribute a portion of its revenue to the state’s general fund.

OMPA is a “cost of service” organization that is not appropriated by the state, and is funded entirely through the sale of electric power, Stephenson said.

Any move by the state to require funding from OMPA to offset the state’s budget would be a direct cost to Ponca City Electric and its customers. This is a cost that other non-municipal-electric-served cities and their customers in Oklahoma would not have to pay, Stephenson said.

He urged residents to contact their State Representative and State Senator immediately to oppose this tax on Ponca City Electric customers.

How to contact Kay County legislators:

Rep. Steve Vaughan [email protected] (405) 557-7533.

Ponca City

Rep. John Pfeiffer [email protected] (405) 557-7332.

Blackwell, Newkirk, Tonkawa

Sen. Patrick Anderson [email protected] (405) 521-5630

Blackwell, Tonkawa

Sen. Eddie Fields [email protected] (405) 521-5581

Newkirk, Ponca City