Tag: Governor Mary Fallin

Higher Education – A better investment than gold

This post is by OK Policy intern Emily Callen. Emily is a senior at the University of Tulsa, where she is pursuing a major in Biology and a minor in Economics. A longtime wonk-in-training, Emily has for years been boring… Read more [More...]

Good times don't last forever

Last week, Gov. Fallin announced a plan to fix the state’s decaying bridges by 2019. The proposal involves putting more money in the ROADS fund, which receives a portion of income tax revenues that would otherwise go to the state’s… Read more [More...]

Why Oklahoma needs an income tax

With the Governor and legislative leaders talking about doing away with Oklahoma’s state income tax, it’s worth taking a look at how the tax affects Oklahomans and why it is important. In an OK Policy fact sheet released today, we… Read more [More...]

What's been done and what still needs doing on corrections reform

Oklahoma leads the nation for percentage of incarcerated women and is near the top for incarcerated men. Our prisons are at more than 95 percent capacity with only 70 percent staffing, which creates a dangerous environment for both guards and… Read more [More...]

Eliminating tax breaks: The dog that didn't bark

In her first State of the State speech, Gov. Fallin said, ”Our course of action will be simple: only tax credits that create jobs will stay. For instance, my budget begins the process of restoring the Aerospace Engineer Tax Credit,… Read more [More...]

Watchdogs, code monkeys, and budget hawks: The many species of Gov 2.0

At the recent Gov 2.0a Conference, the tech-savvy and public-minded came together to discuss ways to bring the latest technology into government.  Gov 2.0 is a term you will likely hear again.  It represents a number of intersecting (and sometimes… Read more [More...]

Short-changed on a health exchange

In the new national health care law (the Affordable Care Act, or ACA), exchanges are state-level competitive marketplaces for individuals and small businesses to purchase insurance. After winning a $54 million Early Innovator grant earlier this year, Oklahoma was poised… Read more [More...]

When lawmakers sign a pledge, who are they working for?

When we elect someone to public office, should we expect them to use their best judgment in making decisions about the public interest? Or should they adhere to the dictates of outside groups that always take the most simplistic and… Read more [More...]

Upcoming Event: Gov 2.0a Conference, May 6-7

Mobile apps, social networking, and digital connectivity are already transforming our lives in many ways. Alongside these developments has been a growing movement, known as Government 2.0, to apply these technologies to make government more transparent, participatory, and collaborative. As… Read more [More...]

New OK Policy report lays out options for protecting Oklahoma public services

In two years of recession and slow recovery, Oklahoma’s public services have struggled to get by with less. Oklahoma families, businesses and communities are feeling the impact in far-ranging ways, including increased class sizes, higher tuition rates, fewer mental health… Read more [More...]