Vince LoVoi, Chair of OK Policy’s Board of Directors, is Managing Partner of Mimosa Tree Capital Partners, LLC in Tulsa.

As board chair of OK Policy, I find it necessary from time to time to speak up on behalf of the organization and its values.  Now is such a time.

A self-described liberal blogger recently criticized OK Policy for linking to articles from a conservative Oklahoma news organization in our daily news summary, “In the Know.” Ironically, OK Policy has linked to stories from the liberal blogger in the past.

This presents an opportunity to remind our Oklahoma community of our core principles here at OK Policy.  Foremost, we are nonpartisan and will never subscribe to labels, left or right, red or blue, Democrat or Republican. Second, we focus solely on the betterment of Oklahoma.  Our priorities are fiscal responsibility; the fair, adequate and efficient delivery of essential services; and economic opportunity for middle- and lower-income Oklahomans .

That’s who we are and what we stand for.  We also believe that the open and thoughtful exchange of ideas is essential to good policy.  To that end, we will share ideas with any Oklahoman who shares our goals, whatever label they may or may not wear.

Okay, we’ll give this another shot.

We’re not OPI (although we like the ‘dedicated to excellence’ part):

A family-owned company committed to the highest quality products and to our customers’ well-being, OPI has long been a leader in the community and within the Professional Beauty Industry. Quite simply, we are dedicated to excellence.

We’re not Opie

Not us either:

Definitely not us:

Us: 

My decision to take vacation over the final week of July and first week of August allowed me to avoid not only some of the worst of the summer heat wave here in Oklahoma but also much of the heated controversy that followed the release of OK Policy’s issue brief on State Question 744, the ballot measure that would peg education funding in Oklahoma to per pupil expenditures in neighboring states. We set out four main arguments that have led us to take a position opposing the measure, the most compelling of which is the strong likelihood that mandating an estimated $1.7 billion increase in funding for common education over three years without a new revenue source would set the state even  further behind in our other areas of public investment that all Oklahomans, including our schoolchildren and teachers, depend on.

Our position was strongly praised by the Oklahoman in a written editorial and this video editorial by editor Ed Kelly (you’ll first get a short commercial for an investment company):

Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re a fan, follower, or friend of Oklahoma Policy Institute living in Norman or nearby, we hope you’ll stop by to our reception/fundraiser on May 5th from 5:30 – 7:00 pm. It’s taking place at the Sarkey’s Foundation at 530 East Main Street. We’ll have food and drinks, and of course, plenty of fact sheets, reports, and issue briefs to take home for the kids/parents/housemates. Suggested contributions are $25 + up per person, or $10 for those with limited means (If you are unable to attend but wish to make a contribution, fret not: just click here). This should be a great opportunity to find out more about us and show your support for the work we are doing to provide timely and credible information, analysis and ideas on state policy issues.

Hope to see you there!