Fallin to Announce Oklahoma Storm Shelter Tax Break

Gov. Mary Fallin is expected to announce details of a plan for a $2,000 tax rebate to eligible homeowners for the installation of a tornado safe room.

Fallin and Oklahoma Emergency Management Director Albert Ashwood have scheduled a news conference Tuesday to discuss the rebate.

The program will be administered by the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and will offer rebates of up to $2,000 for the purchase of a safe room. An online registration process will launch following Tuesday’s announcement.

Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe is pushing for a separate $2,500 tax break at the federal level. Inhofe introduced a bill last week that would allow a tax deduction for homeowners who install a storm shelter or safe room capable of withstanding an EF5 tornado, the most powerful recorded.