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
May 10, 2018 // Updated: May 2, 2019
The filing period for the 2018 elections concluded on April 13th, one day after the Oklahoma Education Association announced the end to the two-week teacher walkout that brought tens of thousands of educators and their supporters to the Capitol on… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
May 8, 2018 // Updated: August 11, 2023
The line-item veto is a power enjoyed by Oklahoma’s Governor that allows him or her to veto one or more sections of an appropriations bill. Line-item vetoes, like regular vetoes, can be overridden by a two-thirds vote of both chambers… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
May 2, 2018 // Updated: May 1, 2019
In the 1960s, the New York City poet and folksinger Richard Fariña published a novel titled “Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up To Me.” This title certainly applies to Oklahoma’s FY 2019 state budget, approved by the House… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
April 30, 2018 // Updated: August 2, 2023
A bill that passes both chambers in its final form is enrolled. It is then sent to the Governor. Bills that pass one chamber are engrossed.
To find the enrolled version of a bill, go to the Legislature’s website, click… Read more [More...]
In 2016, the Legislature created a new budget reserve fund, the Revenue Stabilization Fund (RSF), which is designed to grow in years when collections from the state’s most volatile revenue sources are coming in above recent averages.
Every February the… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
April 18, 2018 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Lawmakers this year have approved over half a billion in new taxes to pay for a package of spending measures, including increased pay for teachers, support staff, and state workers, and increased operating support for schools. While the new obligations… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
April 12, 2018 // Updated: May 2, 2019
[Note: The post has been edited to correct the information regarding HB 1024xx]
On March 28th, just hours before Oklahoma Senators were to vote on pay raises for teachers and other employees funded by new taxes, a group calling themselves “Oklahoma… Read more [More...]
Updated April 17th
[Download this fact sheet as a pdf.]
In March, lawmakers approved a package of funding increases that included pay raises for teachers (HB 1023xx), school support staff (HB 1026xx), and state workers (HB 1024xx), along with additional… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
April 10, 2018 // Updated: May 2, 2019
This session has seen the Oklahoma Legislature take a couple of important steps towards addressing the problem of untaxed online sales. These bills and reforms from earlier sessions are moving Oklahoma closer to an even playing field when it comes… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
April 3, 2018 // Updated: June 6, 2019
The Oklahoma Legislature last week passed a set of bills to provide pay raises to teachers, school support staff, and public employees funded primarily by a tax increase on tobacco, motor fuels, and gross production. Passage of the revenue bill… Read more [More...]
OKPOLICY.ORG
The filing period for the 2018 elections concluded on April 13th, one day after the Oklahoma Education Association announced the end to the two-week teacher walkout that brought tens of thousands of educators and their supporters to the Capitol on… Read more [More...]
In the 1960s, the New York City poet and folksinger Richard Fariña published a novel titled “Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up To Me.” This title certainly applies to Oklahoma’s FY 2019 state budget, approved by the House… Read more [More...]
Lawmakers this year have approved over half a billion in new taxes to pay for a package of spending measures, including increased pay for teachers, support staff, and state workers, and increased operating support for schools. While the new obligations… Read more [More...]
[Note: The post has been edited to correct the information regarding HB 1024xx]
On March 28th, just hours before Oklahoma Senators were to vote on pay raises for teachers and other employees funded by new taxes, a group calling themselves “Oklahoma… Read more [More...]
Updated April 17th
[Download this fact sheet as a pdf.]
In March, lawmakers approved a package of funding increases that included pay raises for teachers (HB 1023xx), school support staff (HB 1026xx), and state workers (HB 1024xx), along with additional… Read more [More...]
This session has seen the Oklahoma Legislature take a couple of important steps towards addressing the problem of untaxed online sales. These bills and reforms from earlier sessions are moving Oklahoma closer to an even playing field when it comes… Read more [More...]
The Oklahoma Legislature last week passed a set of bills to provide pay raises to teachers, school support staff, and public employees funded primarily by a tax increase on tobacco, motor fuels, and gross production. Passage of the revenue bill… Read more [More...]
