Recent Articles

End of Session Round-Up: A quiet year in taxes

Thanks to last year's revenue increases and a strong economy, fueled especially by booming oil and gas revenues, lawmakers entered the 2019 session looking at a large budget surplus  It was clear from the start that tax policy would be far less prominent and contentious than in past years. [More...]

Increased gross production taxes are fueling state’s revenue boom

Strong oil and gas tax collections, due in substantial part to lawmakers’ willingness in 2017 and 2018 to restore the gross production tax to higher rates, are a major contributor to the state’s fiscal health. [More...]

Conference Committee

A conference committee is a joint committee whose function is to arrive at a single version of a bill which has passed the two legislative chambers in different forms. Bills are assigned to a conference committee if the chamber of… Read more [More...]

Recent revenue measures have helped Oklahoma’s long-term budget outlook but the work isn’t done

A new research brief prepared by Dr. Kent Olson, Professor of Economics Emeritus at Oklahoma State University, examines the effect that passage of HB 1010xx and other recent revenue measures will have on the state's long-term fiscal outlook. He finds that these revenue measures reduce the state's budget shortfalls over the next decade, but a significant and growing funding gap will remain in the absence of new revenues. [More...]

We’re hiring! Join our team as a budget and tax policy analyst

Budget and tax policy has long been at the core of OK Policy's efforts to advance equitable and fiscally responsible policies that expand opportunity for all Oklahoman. Now we are looking to add a experienced and effective budget and tax policy analyst to lead our work in this area. The deadline to apply is Thursday, April 11, 2019. [More...]

Too much of a good thing? Exceeding Rainy Day Fund cap would leave critical needs underfunded

Our healthy fiscal outlook provides a great opportunity to build on the progress made last year by making sizeable investments in critical needs that have long gone unmet. However, Governor Kevin Stitt, in his FY 2020 budget blueprint, suggested going in a different direction. The Governor’s approach would tilt the budget too heavily towards savings at the expense of key investments that are urgently needed to promote Oklahoma’s prosperity and well-being. [More...]

Bill Watch: Quieter year expected on the tax front

Some of the fiercest battles of recent legislative sessions have centered on tax policy as lawmakers debated competing tax proposals to limit funding cuts and provide teachers a raise. This year, thanks to a strong economy and recent tax increases, the state's budget outlook is greatly improved. Yet even if the stakes are lower, lawmakers still filed hundreds of bills this session that would revise Oklahoma's tax system. [More...]

Budget outlook offers opportunities, but challenges remain

After a decade of ongoing shortfalls and repeated cuts to core services, Oklahoma’s finances are finally in recovery. Revenues are growing and lawmakers are expected to have substantially more money for next year’s budget, according to initial projections that were… Read more [More...]

Five reasons NOT to donate to OK Policy

Typically, when we reach out to ask you to contribute to Oklahoma Policy Institute, we list all the good reasons we believe you should support our work with a tax-deductible donation. But it’s become an end-of-year tradition for us to… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma’s 2018 elections were different in many ways

Looking at the headlines, the results of the November elections might give the impression that nothing much has changed in Oklahoma. Led by Governor-elect Kevin Stitt, Republicans swept all eight statewide offices for a third consecutive election, with all candidates… Read more [More...]