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
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...]
By: David Blatt
April 2, 2018 // Updated: January 15, 2026
Under the Oklahoma Constitution, citizens have the power to repeal legislation via veto referendum. Article V, Section 3 states:
Referendum petitions shall be filed with the Secretary of State not more than ninety (90) days after the final adjournment of… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
March 22, 2018 // Updated: May 2, 2019
For a brief moment, it looked as though there might be one silver lining to the ongoing state budget crisis. Over the past two years, a majority of legislators have voted repeatedly for tax increases needed to avert budget cuts… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
March 15, 2018 // Updated: May 2, 2019
The Oklahoma Education Association last week called on the Legislature to support an ambitious proposal to increase funding for public education and state services. The association, which represents nearly 40,000 teachers and school employees across the state, warned that “If… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
March 8, 2018 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Are Oklahomans better served by state agencies that preserve their independence or that are more directly subject to the Governor’s control? That’s the key question for Oklahoma legislators this session as they consider a series of bills that would fundamentally… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
February 28, 2018 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Governor Mary Fallin called two special sessions of the Legislature in 2017-18. The first was aimed at filling a $215 million hole to the budgets of three health agencies – the Department of Mental Health and Substance Services, Department of… Read more [More...]
Earlier this month, HB 1033xx, the main revenue measure based on proposals from the Step Up Oklahoma coalition, failed to gain the three-quarters support in the House needed to pass a revenue bill. Unlike a similar measure that failed in… Read more [More...]
OKPOLICY.ORG
[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...]
For a brief moment, it looked as though there might be one silver lining to the ongoing state budget crisis. Over the past two years, a majority of legislators have voted repeatedly for tax increases needed to avert budget cuts… Read more [More...]
The Oklahoma Education Association last week called on the Legislature to support an ambitious proposal to increase funding for public education and state services. The association, which represents nearly 40,000 teachers and school employees across the state, warned that “If… Read more [More...]
Are Oklahomans better served by state agencies that preserve their independence or that are more directly subject to the Governor’s control? That’s the key question for Oklahoma legislators this session as they consider a series of bills that would fundamentally… Read more [More...]
Governor Mary Fallin called two special sessions of the Legislature in 2017-18. The first was aimed at filling a $215 million hole to the budgets of three health agencies – the Department of Mental Health and Substance Services, Department of… Read more [More...]
Earlier this month, HB 1033xx, the main revenue measure based on proposals from the Step Up Oklahoma coalition, failed to gain the three-quarters support in the House needed to pass a revenue bill. Unlike a similar measure that failed in… Read more [More...]
