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
October 23, 2018 // Updated: May 2, 2019
As online commerce has grown into an ever-increasing share of the U.S. economy, Oklahoma and other states have struggled with the problem of lost tax revenue from untaxed sales. A major Supreme Court ruling this past June, combined with actions… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
October 9, 2018 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Across the United States, 2018 is being heralded as the Year of the Woman in American politics. Building on a surge of activism following the election of Donald Trump, including the national women’s marches and the #metoo movement, the “Pink… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
September 26, 2018 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Oklahoma will begin to set aside a portion of future oil and gas revenues for a new reserve fund if voters approve State Question 800 in November.
SQ 800 creates a new trust fund known as the Oklahoma Vision Fund in… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
September 3, 2018 // Updated: January 19, 2019
Today Oklahoma Policy Institute published a series of fact sheets on each of the state questions on Oklahoma ballots this year. In addition to state and national races, voters will decide five state questions on November 6th:
State Question 793… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
August 23, 2018 // Updated: May 1, 2019
As Oklahoma heads into a new budget year and closes the books on FY 2018, two things are especially clear: Oklahoma’s fiscal situation is much improved, but we still have a long ways to go to recover from a decade… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
August 2, 2018 // Updated: December 19, 2019
Several months ago, we wrote about this year’s Oklahoma elections following the candidate filing period. Based on the unusually high numbers of open seats, candidates filing for office, and challenges to incumbents, it already looked as if 2018 could be… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
May 23, 2018 // Updated: May 2, 2019
In late March, on the eve of an anticipated teacher walk-out, Oklahoma lawmakers approved a series of bills intended to provide pay raises for teachers, school support staff, and state employees. To pay for the raises, lawmakers approved a number… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
May 22, 2018 // Updated: October 4, 2024
A capital gain is a rise in the value of a capital asset (investment or real estate) that gives it a higher worth than the purchase price. The gain is not realized until the asset is sold. Capital gains income… Read more [More...]
Under federal and Oklahoma tax law, the standard deduction is a dollar amount that taxpayers who do not claim itemized deductions may subtract from their income before income tax is applied. Taxpayers may choose either itemized deductions or the standard… Read more [More...]
The Health Care Enhancement Fund was created by HB 1016xx in the 2017-18 second special session. Beginning July 1, 2019, all revenues from the $1 per-pack increase in the cigarette tax passed under HB 1010xx are deposited in the Health… Read more [More...]
OKPOLICY.ORG
As online commerce has grown into an ever-increasing share of the U.S. economy, Oklahoma and other states have struggled with the problem of lost tax revenue from untaxed sales. A major Supreme Court ruling this past June, combined with actions… Read more [More...]
Across the United States, 2018 is being heralded as the Year of the Woman in American politics. Building on a surge of activism following the election of Donald Trump, including the national women’s marches and the #metoo movement, the “Pink… Read more [More...]
Oklahoma will begin to set aside a portion of future oil and gas revenues for a new reserve fund if voters approve State Question 800 in November.
SQ 800 creates a new trust fund known as the Oklahoma Vision Fund in… Read more [More...]
Today Oklahoma Policy Institute published a series of fact sheets on each of the state questions on Oklahoma ballots this year. In addition to state and national races, voters will decide five state questions on November 6th:
State Question 793… Read more [More...]
As Oklahoma heads into a new budget year and closes the books on FY 2018, two things are especially clear: Oklahoma’s fiscal situation is much improved, but we still have a long ways to go to recover from a decade… Read more [More...]
Several months ago, we wrote about this year’s Oklahoma elections following the candidate filing period. Based on the unusually high numbers of open seats, candidates filing for office, and challenges to incumbents, it already looked as if 2018 could be… Read more [More...]
In late March, on the eve of an anticipated teacher walk-out, Oklahoma lawmakers approved a series of bills intended to provide pay raises for teachers, school support staff, and state employees. To pay for the raises, lawmakers approved a number… Read more [More...]
