Recent Articles

Sales tax holiday is poor policy

This weekend, many Oklahomans will flock to the stores to take advantage of the state’s annual three-day sales tax holiday weekend. Since 2007, shoppers are allowed to buy clothing items under $100 free of state and local sales tax during… Read more [More...]

Cuts to alternative education will come back to haunt us

Nothing is as critical to a young person’s future prospects as a high school diploma. Decades of research shows that those who drop out of high school are at significantly higher risk of being unemployed, living in poverty, and serving… Read more [More...]

Confront the ‘parasite economy’ by raising the minimum wage

Every three months, the ADP Research Institute releases its Workforce Vitality Index, a measure of private sector job and wage growth.  For the past two quarters, Washington state has led the nation in growing jobs and boosting wages, far outpacing… Read more [More...]

Time for Oklahoma to off the runoff

When August 23rd rolls around next month, you can be sure that lots of things will be on Oklahomans’ minds: kids going back to school, the upcoming Labor Day weekend, and the start of college football season, to name a… Read more [More...]

Interim Study

Interim studies are studies of legislative and policy issues that may be requested by any member of the House or Senate. They often address issues that have been the subject of legislation that failed to pass in previous sessions, or… Read more [More...]

Why poverty in Oklahoma is being compared to a Third World nation

Each year, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof holds a Win-A-Trip contest for college students to accompany him on a reporting trip to the developing world. Most years, his trip explores  global poverty in far-flung places like Congo or Myanmar.… Read more [More...]

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

The Every Students Succeeds Act (ESSA) is a federal law that governs K-12 public education. ESSA reauthorized and amended the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and replaced the No Child Left Behind Act. It was passed by Congress… Read more [More...]

Adopting the National Popular Vote would make Oklahomans’ votes matter

The weeks before the Presidential primaries on Super Tuesday back in March were heady times in Oklahoma. The leading candidates for the Republican and Democratic nominations held large, enthusiastic rallies in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Voter registrations surged by nearly… Read more [More...]

After two revenue failures, Oklahoma will end the year with surplus. What?

This weekend, The Oklahoman reported the unexpected news that state finance officials now expect to end the current fiscal year with a cash surplus of at least $100 million. After two mid-year revenue failures that led to across-the-board budget cuts… Read more [More...]

Bad Brew (Guest Post: Erin Taylor)

Erin Taylor, PhD is a mother to five and a disability advocate living in Oklahoma City. Her previous guest post, “What I Didn’t Get From My Tax Cut,” ran in March. Like many advocates, I’m still recovering from the Capitol… Read more [More...]