BY SHARON MARTIN

This year I got a small tax refund from the state of Oklahoma. It wasn’t a check; it was a debit card from a third party. Apparently, the Oklahoma Tax Commission is edging toward privatization.

You can get cash from your card when you use it at the grocery store, the gas station, or wherever. You pay a fee for the privilege. Every time you use the card, they ask if you want cash. Get a twenty here and a twenty there. According to the instructions they sent me, there’s a fee every time.

It’s your money, but if you want it, you’ll have to pay the debit card company.

I used my debit card at the grocery store and kept track of how much money was left. When I was down to my last $10 and some change, I tried to use the card. You can’t use it as a partial payment.

You can create an account online to get your remaining cash. I didn’t want to leave unused money on my card, but to set up an account involved an elaborate ritual, including secret signs and your Social Security number. Now, some third party has all my government information.

I gave up about the third screen.

How do I get to the last few bucks? Maybe one can of green beans at a time?

Who gets to keep the money I can’t access? I’m pretty sure it’s not the state.

A private company earns a few bucks each from how many thousands of refunds? That’s a pretty good profit. How do you get a contract like that? The lowest bidder? A campaign contribution?

Does anyone else have a problem with this?

– Sharon Martin lives in Oilton, OK and is a regular contributor to The Oklahoma Observer