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Appearing on COMMUNITY CONNECTION on Tuesday, Bartlesville Mayor Dale Copeland talked about Monday's use tax workshop.

 

Mayor Copeland explained that Bartlesville is one of a very few communities in the state that does not have a use tax. He said last night's workshop served as an education and a conversation about such at tax.

 

Use tax is essentially the same as sales tax, but applied to purchases from out-of-state vendors. The sales tax is collected on retail purchases from Oklahoma merchants. The use tax is collected on mail, telephone order, and internet (web) purchases from merchants who have no physical presence in Oklahoma. Use tax applies to the same items as sales tax. 

 

Vendor location is the key difference. It is a little known and widely ignored fact that purchases by mail, phone, or internet from out-of-state vendors are taxable just like the purchases of similar goods from your local retail store. 

 

Copeland said that nothing was voted on during the workshop.