Recent Articles

Guest Blog (Joey Senat): Open government laws need vigorous enforcement

Joey Senat is Associate Professor in the School of Media and Strategic Communications at Oklahoma State University and a member of the Board of FOI Oklahoma. He maintains the FOI Oklahoma blog where an earlier version of this post appeared.… Read more [More...]

Should Oklahoma expand its property tax caps and exemptions?

Once again this session, property tax cuts are on the table in Oklahoma. Although curtailing Oklahoma’s already low property taxes with additional freezes and caps may sound appealing, a better approach would target help to people who need it without… Read more [More...]

Oil strikes back

When the Board of Equalization met last week and certified more revenue for the upcoming fiscal year, there was one word on everyone’s mind: Oil. Of the total $106 million increase in the February estimate compared to the Board’s initial… Read more [More...]

Promoting financial security: Matched savings account programs

This post is adapted from an upcoming issue brief on savings from Oklahoma Assets, a statewide coalition committed to promoting financial security. Click here for other OK Policy blog posts on assets and financial security. Most Americans recognize the value… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma should act on new opportunities to aid the long-term jobless

“There’s no excuse for states to let 100 percent federally funded jobless support just die on the vine,” said Christine Owens, Executive Director of the National Employment Law Project. “This is a no-brainer for states to help their workers, businesses… Read more [More...]

Quick Take: Revenues rebounding – – except for the income tax

The latest monthly report of General Revenue (GR) collections announced by Treasurer Ken Miller provided the strongest indications yet that state revenues are on a firm path to recovery. For the 11th time in the past 12 months, monthly revenue… Read more [More...]

Back to Texas? Income tax proposal stirs up some old memories

“Imagine never having to file an Oklahoma income tax form again, and having no more state income tax withheld from your paycheck.” This is the scenario floated recently in a press release by David Dank, the Chair of the House… Read more [More...]

An initial look at Governor Fallin's FY12 Executive Budget

On Monday, Governor Mary Fallin introduced her FY ’12 Executive Budget (click here for the full budget or here for appropriations total by agency).  Although state revenues have begun to rebound from the recession, the recovery is projected to remain… Read more [More...]

Pick your poison: Suffocating or amputating state services?

As we discussed in this recent blog post, the State Department of Health has been among the state agencies hit hardest by successive rounds of budget cuts the past two years. State appropriations have been reduced by $11.3 million, or… Read more [More...]

Now Available: The 2011 Legislative Overview – your program and playbook for the legislative session

Do you know who chairs the Senate Appropriations committee? Who serves as Governor Fallin’s Secretary of Energy? When the deadline is for passing bills out of their original chamber? How much money there is in the Rainy Day Fund? The… Read more [More...]