Former Executive Director David Blatt joined OK Policy in 2008 and served as its Executive Director from 2010 to 2019. He previously served as Director of Public Policy for Community Action Project of Tulsa County and as a budget analyst for the Oklahoma State Senate. He has a Ph.D. in political science from Cornell University and a B.A. from the University of Alberta. David has been selected as Political Scientist of the Year by the Oklahoma Political Science Association, Local Social Justice Champion by the Dan Allen Center for Social Justice, and Public Citizen of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers.
By: David Blatt
November 7, 2017 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Note: This post has been updated to reflect the most recent information (11/7/17: 9:00 pm)
You are needed right now to contact your Representative and urge him or her to support the comprehensive budget plan contained in HB 1054.
Click… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
November 1, 2017 // Updated: May 1, 2019
Last week, lawmakers’ attempt to address the state budget crisis in special session collapsed. They rejected proposals that would have filled the entire budget hole and averted imminent and catastrophic cuts to the three health care and social service agencies —… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
October 31, 2017 // Updated: May 1, 2019
We expect a lot from the Oklahomans who work for state government. These are the men and women we entrust to care for victims of abuse and neglect, supervise the most dangerous criminal offenders, stop the spread of infectious diseases,… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
October 10, 2017 // Updated: May 2, 2019
A tax break that benefits a small number of wealthy taxpayers and costs the state of Oklahoma around $100 million per year cannot “be credibly shown to have significant economic impact or a positive return on investment for the State,”… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
October 4, 2017 // Updated: May 2, 2019
As lawmakers continue to work to develop a plan to address the state’s budget crisis, the top priority has rightly been generating enough new revenue to avoid even more cuts to critical services and to fund longstanding needs like a… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
September 26, 2017 // Updated: September 28, 2017
HB 1093 would require the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to subject SoonerCare members to enhanced verification procedures to determine eligibility for benefits.
HB 1093 would require intensive quarterly eligibility verification for most Medicaid members and applications, and require new applicants… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
September 12, 2017 // Updated: May 2, 2019
“The purpose and intent of State Question 640 is now eviscerated…” So declared Oklahoma Chief Justice Douglas Combs in a dissent to last month’s 5-4 Supreme Court decision upholding a new state law that partially removed a tax exemption on… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
September 11, 2017 // Updated: May 2, 2019
If we want to make sure every Oklahoman has the chance to become a productive, healthy adult, then preventing teen pregnancies is one of the most important things we can do. While some teen mothers and their children manage to beat… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
August 24, 2017 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Another national report is calling attention to Oklahoma’s drastic cuts to funding for colleges and universities in recent years. At a time when a college education has never been more critical for individual prosperity and state economic development, funding decisions… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
August 14, 2017 // Updated: May 1, 2019
Last week’s Supreme Court’s ruling that struck down a $1.50 per-package smoking cessation fee passed by lawmakers in May has created a genuine state emergency. Without quick and decisive action, Oklahoma faces unimaginable cuts to health care and other protections… Read more [More...]
OKPOLICY.ORG
Note: This post has been updated to reflect the most recent information (11/7/17: 9:00 pm)
You are needed right now to contact your Representative and urge him or her to support the comprehensive budget plan contained in HB 1054.
Click… Read more [More...]
Last week, lawmakers’ attempt to address the state budget crisis in special session collapsed. They rejected proposals that would have filled the entire budget hole and averted imminent and catastrophic cuts to the three health care and social service agencies —… Read more [More...]
We expect a lot from the Oklahomans who work for state government. These are the men and women we entrust to care for victims of abuse and neglect, supervise the most dangerous criminal offenders, stop the spread of infectious diseases,… Read more [More...]
A tax break that benefits a small number of wealthy taxpayers and costs the state of Oklahoma around $100 million per year cannot “be credibly shown to have significant economic impact or a positive return on investment for the State,”… Read more [More...]
As lawmakers continue to work to develop a plan to address the state’s budget crisis, the top priority has rightly been generating enough new revenue to avoid even more cuts to critical services and to fund longstanding needs like a… Read more [More...]
HB 1093 would require the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to subject SoonerCare members to enhanced verification procedures to determine eligibility for benefits.
HB 1093 would require intensive quarterly eligibility verification for most Medicaid members and applications, and require new applicants… Read more [More...]
“The purpose and intent of State Question 640 is now eviscerated…” So declared Oklahoma Chief Justice Douglas Combs in a dissent to last month’s 5-4 Supreme Court decision upholding a new state law that partially removed a tax exemption on… Read more [More...]
If we want to make sure every Oklahoman has the chance to become a productive, healthy adult, then preventing teen pregnancies is one of the most important things we can do. While some teen mothers and their children manage to beat… Read more [More...]
Another national report is calling attention to Oklahoma’s drastic cuts to funding for colleges and universities in recent years. At a time when a college education has never been more critical for individual prosperity and state economic development, funding decisions… Read more [More...]
