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Tribal Tobacco Compacts Anger Convenience Store Owner

Bruce SuperFantastic
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Flickr.com

A Tulsa-based convenience store chain is welcoming negotiations on tobacco compacts between the state and Oklahoma tribes.

Gov. Mary Fallin earlier this year rejected a request that the current compacts be extended and instead opened negotiations. Fallin's office says agreements have been reached with seven tribes and negotiations are continuing with 20 others.

QuikTrip spokesman Mike Thornbrugh calls the previous compact a "debacle" that drove customers away from non-tribal retailers.

The new compacts call for the tribes to pay the full $1.03 per pack tax on cigarettes with the state reimbursing the tribes up to 50 percent. The previous compact provided for taxes ranging from six cents per pack to the full $1.03.

The lower taxes were for tribes near the state's border with states that have lower tobacco taxes.

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