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 23, 2016 // Updated: August 9, 2023
The Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget (JCAB) is a committee governed by separate rules from most legislative committees. It is typically used as a way for House and Senate leadership to introduce and approve new bills in the final… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
May 18, 2016 // Updated: May 2, 2019
With less than two weeks until the end of the Legislative session, there’s still no agreement on the state budget. The stakes are exceptionally high: unless legislators agree on ways to close the budget gap, deep cuts are certain to… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
May 5, 2016 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Oklahoma continues to give up well over $400 million per year in tax breaks to oil and gas producers, even as oil prices fall and the industry sheds thousands of jobs, according to data compiled from the Oklahoma Tax Commission.… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
April 28, 2016 // Updated: May 2, 2019
One of the recurring revenue options that Gov. Mary Fallin laid out in her FY 2017 Executive Budget involved “modernizing the sales tax.” This was presented as something of a catch-all category described as “keeping the same low rates and… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
April 18, 2016 // Updated: May 1, 2019
Last week, Governor Mary Fallin took the unusual step of delivering a second budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year. Her new proposal, dubbed Executive Budget 2.0, adjusts for the changed circumstances since her first budget was announced in early… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
April 11, 2016 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Oklahoma is grappling with a $1.3 billion shortfall for next year’s budget. Following two mid-year revenue failures on top of years of shrinking budgets, every state agency has been forced to dig deep and cut anything that could be seen… Read more [More...]
Without new revenue to close the shortfall, state agencies and school districts face massive budget cuts that will be disastrous for Oklahoma families, businesses, and communities. Here are 16 revenue options worth considering as part of a fair and sustainable budget... Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
April 7, 2016 // Updated: May 2, 2019
The evidence is now undeniable that Oklahoma is facing a full-fledged emergency. With each passing day, the toll of budget cuts on Oklahoma families, schools, businesses, and communities becomes more alarming. Given the enormity of the budget shortfall, it’s widely… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
March 31, 2016 // Updated: May 1, 2019
In the wake of this year’s second mid-year revenue failure, Governor Fallin and legislative leaders reached an agreement to tap the Rainy Day Fund to help public schools and the Department of Corrections make it through the year. The Legislature… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
March 14, 2016 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Among her proposals to address the state’s enormous budget hole in last month’s State of the State address, Governor Mary Fallin called for “sales tax modernization.” Modernization could have several components, including broadening the sales tax to cover more services… Read more [More...]
OKPOLICY.ORG
With less than two weeks until the end of the Legislative session, there’s still no agreement on the state budget. The stakes are exceptionally high: unless legislators agree on ways to close the budget gap, deep cuts are certain to… Read more [More...]
Oklahoma continues to give up well over $400 million per year in tax breaks to oil and gas producers, even as oil prices fall and the industry sheds thousands of jobs, according to data compiled from the Oklahoma Tax Commission.… Read more [More...]
One of the recurring revenue options that Gov. Mary Fallin laid out in her FY 2017 Executive Budget involved “modernizing the sales tax.” This was presented as something of a catch-all category described as “keeping the same low rates and… Read more [More...]
Last week, Governor Mary Fallin took the unusual step of delivering a second budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year. Her new proposal, dubbed Executive Budget 2.0, adjusts for the changed circumstances since her first budget was announced in early… Read more [More...]
Oklahoma is grappling with a $1.3 billion shortfall for next year’s budget. Following two mid-year revenue failures on top of years of shrinking budgets, every state agency has been forced to dig deep and cut anything that could be seen… Read more [More...]
Without new revenue to close the shortfall, state agencies and school districts face massive budget cuts that will be disastrous for Oklahoma families, businesses, and communities. Here are 16 revenue options worth considering as part of a fair and sustainable budget... Read more [More...]
The evidence is now undeniable that Oklahoma is facing a full-fledged emergency. With each passing day, the toll of budget cuts on Oklahoma families, schools, businesses, and communities becomes more alarming. Given the enormity of the budget shortfall, it’s widely… Read more [More...]
In the wake of this year’s second mid-year revenue failure, Governor Fallin and legislative leaders reached an agreement to tap the Rainy Day Fund to help public schools and the Department of Corrections make it through the year. The Legislature… Read more [More...]
Among her proposals to address the state’s enormous budget hole in last month’s State of the State address, Governor Mary Fallin called for “sales tax modernization.” Modernization could have several components, including broadening the sales tax to cover more services… Read more [More...]
