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
April 11, 2016 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Oklahoma is grappling with a $1.3 billion shortfall for next year’s budget. Following two mid-year revenue failures on top of years of shrinking budgets, every state agency has been forced to dig deep and cut anything that could be seen… Read more [More...]
Without new revenue to close the shortfall, state agencies and school districts face massive budget cuts that will be disastrous for Oklahoma families, businesses, and communities. Here are 16 revenue options worth considering as part of a fair and sustainable budget... Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
April 7, 2016 // Updated: May 2, 2019
The evidence is now undeniable that Oklahoma is facing a full-fledged emergency. With each passing day, the toll of budget cuts on Oklahoma families, schools, businesses, and communities becomes more alarming. Given the enormity of the budget shortfall, it’s widely… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
March 31, 2016 // Updated: May 1, 2019
In the wake of this year’s second mid-year revenue failure, Governor Fallin and legislative leaders reached an agreement to tap the Rainy Day Fund to help public schools and the Department of Corrections make it through the year. The Legislature… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
March 14, 2016 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Among her proposals to address the state’s enormous budget hole in last month’s State of the State address, Governor Mary Fallin called for “sales tax modernization.” Modernization could have several components, including broadening the sales tax to cover more services… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
March 8, 2016 // Updated: March 8, 2016
Oklahoma Policy Institute is pleased to announce that Dr. Joseph (Joe) Siano, Superintendent of Norman Public Schools, and Charles (Chuck) Garrett, executive vice president at Cherokee Nation Businesses, have joined our Board of Directors.
“We are delighted to add two… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
March 4, 2016 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Download this fact sheet as a pdf.
The state faces a huge budget shortfall
As a result of revenue collections coming in below projections, mid-year revenue failures were declared in December and February. Agencies were cut by 7 percent of… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
March 3, 2016 // Updated: May 1, 2019
As Oklahoma grapples with a rapid decline in state revenue collections, agency budgets have already been cut once this year, and a second round of even greater cuts has just been announced. Oklahoma’s Rainy Day Fund was designed specifically to… Read more [More...]
In 2004, Oklahoma voters approved State Question 712, which established legal compacts between the state of Oklahoma and Native American tribes to regulate tribal gaming. Under the gaming compacts, tribes contribute over $125 million to the state, which goes almost… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
February 23, 2016 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Should Oklahoma strip Medicaid health care coverage from people least able to afford insurance on their own? In a state that trails most of the nation in uninsured rates and health outcomes, who could defend this?
Should the Department of… Read more [More...]
OKPOLICY.ORG
Oklahoma is grappling with a $1.3 billion shortfall for next year’s budget. Following two mid-year revenue failures on top of years of shrinking budgets, every state agency has been forced to dig deep and cut anything that could be seen… Read more [More...]
Without new revenue to close the shortfall, state agencies and school districts face massive budget cuts that will be disastrous for Oklahoma families, businesses, and communities. Here are 16 revenue options worth considering as part of a fair and sustainable budget... Read more [More...]
The evidence is now undeniable that Oklahoma is facing a full-fledged emergency. With each passing day, the toll of budget cuts on Oklahoma families, schools, businesses, and communities becomes more alarming. Given the enormity of the budget shortfall, it’s widely… Read more [More...]
In the wake of this year’s second mid-year revenue failure, Governor Fallin and legislative leaders reached an agreement to tap the Rainy Day Fund to help public schools and the Department of Corrections make it through the year. The Legislature… Read more [More...]
Among her proposals to address the state’s enormous budget hole in last month’s State of the State address, Governor Mary Fallin called for “sales tax modernization.” Modernization could have several components, including broadening the sales tax to cover more services… Read more [More...]
Oklahoma Policy Institute is pleased to announce that Dr. Joseph (Joe) Siano, Superintendent of Norman Public Schools, and Charles (Chuck) Garrett, executive vice president at Cherokee Nation Businesses, have joined our Board of Directors.
“We are delighted to add two… Read more [More...]
Download this fact sheet as a pdf.
The state faces a huge budget shortfall
As a result of revenue collections coming in below projections, mid-year revenue failures were declared in December and February. Agencies were cut by 7 percent of… Read more [More...]
As Oklahoma grapples with a rapid decline in state revenue collections, agency budgets have already been cut once this year, and a second round of even greater cuts has just been announced. Oklahoma’s Rainy Day Fund was designed specifically to… Read more [More...]
In 2004, Oklahoma voters approved State Question 712, which established legal compacts between the state of Oklahoma and Native American tribes to regulate tribal gaming. Under the gaming compacts, tribes contribute over $125 million to the state, which goes almost… Read more [More...]
Should Oklahoma strip Medicaid health care coverage from people least able to afford insurance on their own? In a state that trails most of the nation in uninsured rates and health outcomes, who could defend this?
Should the Department of… Read more [More...]
