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
February 12, 2015 // Updated: August 24, 2024
Gross production taxes, or severance taxes, are value-based taxes levied at a basic rate of 7 percent upon the production of oil and gas in Oklahoma. Under legislation approved in the 2017 special session (HB 1010xx), oil and gas from… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
February 9, 2015 // Updated: May 1, 2019
Ten years after Oklahoma voters approved gaming compacts with Native American tribes and racetrack gaming, the state is collecting over $140 million annually as its share of gaming revenues. However, years of growth in gaming revenue have now ended, which… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
February 5, 2015 // Updated: October 13, 2024
The Sales Tax Relief Credit is an income tax credit that provides a rebate of $40 per household member to households with incomes at or below the following levels:
$50,000 per year for filers who are elderly, have a physical… Read more [More...]
The Quality Jobs program is a state tax incentive program, created in 1993, that provides a quarterly cash payment to qualified companies of up to 5 percent of new taxable payroll. The incentive targets manufacturers and certain other industries that… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
February 4, 2015 // Updated: October 4, 2024
The Investment/New Job tax credit is a credit allowed on Oklahoma income tax. The credit can be claimed either on an investment in depreciable property or on the addition of full-time-equivalent employees engaged in manufacturing, processing, or aircraft maintenance.
The… Read more [More...]
On Monday, Governor Mary Fallin delivered her State of the State address and FY 2016 Executive Budget. Her speech emphasized the need to address hurdles in the areas of education, health, and criminal justice that are impeding the state’s progress.… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
January 30, 2015 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Presentation by OK Policy Executive Director David Blatt to the 2015 State Budget Summit, January 29, 2015
Download the presentation (PDF)
Oklahoma’s Budget Outlook: Confronting the Fiscal Gap by dblattok… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
January 28, 2015 // Updated: August 18, 2023
A shell bill is a bill that is introduced at the beginning of the legislative session with little or no substantive language. Shell bills are intended to serve as placeholders for legislative proposals to be filled in later. Shell bills… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
January 27, 2015 // Updated: May 2, 2019
As we look ahead to next year’s state budget, one thing is for certain: it’s going to be a very rocky ride.
Last month, the Board of Equalization certified $298 million less revenue for next year’s budget than was appropriated… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
January 26, 2015 // Updated: October 4, 2024
State aid represents the funds that are appropriated by the State Legislature for school districts, and distributed by the State Department of Education through the State Aid Formula.
State aid is based on three categories: foundation aid, incentive aid, and… Read more [More...]