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
March 23, 2015 // Updated: May 2, 2019
There’s lots of talk at the Capitol this year about the need for greater scrutiny and control of tax incentives. As we’ve discussed, bills authored by the House Speaker and Senate Pro Tem would evaluate all incentives on a regular… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
March 10, 2015 // Updated: May 2, 2019
As Oklahoma faces a more than $600 million budget hole, state leaders have consistently said that “all options should be on the table.” With state services already straining from years of repeated cuts and flat funding, a balanced approach to… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
March 4, 2015 // Updated: May 2, 2019
How do you boost support for education in a year when the state faces a massive budget shortfall? Several bills to provide teacher pay raises have gained initial committee approval, but these bills are unlikely to make it into law… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
March 2, 2015 // Updated: August 11, 2023
Oklahoma levies excise taxes on gasoline and diesel of $0.20 per gallon. HB 1010xx in 2018 raised the fuel tax on gasoline by $0.03 per gallon and on diesel by $0.06. Fuel used by governments and Indian tribes is exempt… Read more [More...]
The Rebuilding Oklahoma Access and Driver Safety (ROADS) Fund is a fund of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) that was created by the Legislature in 2005 to ensure dedicated revenue for the maintenance and repair of state highway and… Read more [More...]
Oklahoma’s more than 70 business incentives are one of the primary ways the state attempts to create jobs and encourage businesses to locate and expand in Oklahoma. These tax credits, tax exemptions, and cash rebates also have a significant cost.… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
February 27, 2015 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Oklahoma faces a giant budget shortfall for the coming year, the result of both slumping energy prices and policy decisions that have dampened revenue collections and increased off-the-top allocations. Our Budget Trends and Outlook fact sheet explains the budget situation… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
February 25, 2015 // Updated: May 1, 2019
With the state now facing a massive budget shortfall, attention has turned to tapping the Rainy Day Fund to close a portion of the gap. This post gives an overview of the Rainy Day Fund and how it might be… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
February 24, 2015 // Updated: August 14, 2023
The Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP), also known as Oklahoma’s Promise, is an early commitment financial aid program that covers tuition and other college costs for certain Oklahoma students.
Oklahoma’s Promise is open to students attending public or private… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
February 23, 2015 // Updated: July 31, 2023
The federal poverty level (FPL) is a measure of income issued annually by the Department of Health and Human Services that is used to determine eligibility for various public programs and benefits, including Medicaid, health insurance premium tax credits, the… Read more [More...]
OKPOLICY.ORG
There’s lots of talk at the Capitol this year about the need for greater scrutiny and control of tax incentives. As we’ve discussed, bills authored by the House Speaker and Senate Pro Tem would evaluate all incentives on a regular… Read more [More...]
As Oklahoma faces a more than $600 million budget hole, state leaders have consistently said that “all options should be on the table.” With state services already straining from years of repeated cuts and flat funding, a balanced approach to… Read more [More...]
How do you boost support for education in a year when the state faces a massive budget shortfall? Several bills to provide teacher pay raises have gained initial committee approval, but these bills are unlikely to make it into law… Read more [More...]
Oklahoma’s more than 70 business incentives are one of the primary ways the state attempts to create jobs and encourage businesses to locate and expand in Oklahoma. These tax credits, tax exemptions, and cash rebates also have a significant cost.… Read more [More...]
Oklahoma faces a giant budget shortfall for the coming year, the result of both slumping energy prices and policy decisions that have dampened revenue collections and increased off-the-top allocations. Our Budget Trends and Outlook fact sheet explains the budget situation… Read more [More...]
With the state now facing a massive budget shortfall, attention has turned to tapping the Rainy Day Fund to close a portion of the gap. This post gives an overview of the Rainy Day Fund and how it might be… Read more [More...]
