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
June 9, 2015 // Updated: May 2, 2019
In crafting a budget in the face of a large drop in available revenue, lawmakers this year made a sincere effort to minimize cuts to key agencies in the areas of education, health, and safety. Whereas most agencies took cuts… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
June 1, 2015 // Updated: May 2, 2019
An earlier version of this post appeared as a column in the Journal Record.
One day when I was in junior high, some friends and I came across a schoolyard fight between two of our classmates. A number of children… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
May 15, 2015 // Updated: May 15, 2015
Oklahoma Policy Institute is pleased to announce that Andrew Tevington, who served for many years as a top advisor to Governor Henry Bellmon, and Felicia Collins Correia, whose experience includes over 25 years as CEO of major non-profit organizations in… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
May 12, 2015 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Oklahoma lawmakers are now struggling to write a budget with $611 million less revenue available than what was appropriated last year. It’s easy to blame falling energy prices and accompanying job losses for the shortfall – until we recall that… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
May 7, 2015 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Unless the Legislature acts to halt it, the state’s top income tax rate will fall from 5.25 to 5 percent next January based on legislation passed last session, SB 1246, that tied the top rate cut to a revenue trigger.… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
April 27, 2015 // Updated: May 2, 2019
In today’s economy, a college education is more important for finding a good job and earning a decent income. Yet for children of low- and moderate-income families, the cost of higher education can be a substantial barrier to enrolling in… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
April 22, 2015 // Updated: May 2, 2019
One year ago, parents and educators organized a powerful campaign to amend a state law that would have automatically retained thousands of 3rd-grade children who failed a standardized reading test. In response, the Legislature passed a bill temporarily revising the… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
April 16, 2015 // Updated: May 2, 2019
It’s rare that Congress finds bipartisan consensus on important issues, but that happened last month when the House approved health care legislation that includes an extension of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Last night the bill was overwhelmingly… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
April 7, 2015 // Updated: May 2, 2019
As the Oklahoma Legislature enters the final months of session, state agencies and the populations they serve are bracing for another round of painful budget cuts. A stark example of the high stakes involved in this year’s budget shortfall is… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
March 30, 2015 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Note: This is an updated and expanded version of a column that ran in the Journal Record.
Faced with a $611 million budget shortfall, elected leaders have many tough decisions to make. But one decision should be easy: halting a… Read more [More...]
OKPOLICY.ORG
In crafting a budget in the face of a large drop in available revenue, lawmakers this year made a sincere effort to minimize cuts to key agencies in the areas of education, health, and safety. Whereas most agencies took cuts… Read more [More...]
An earlier version of this post appeared as a column in the Journal Record.
One day when I was in junior high, some friends and I came across a schoolyard fight between two of our classmates. A number of children… Read more [More...]
Oklahoma Policy Institute is pleased to announce that Andrew Tevington, who served for many years as a top advisor to Governor Henry Bellmon, and Felicia Collins Correia, whose experience includes over 25 years as CEO of major non-profit organizations in… Read more [More...]
Oklahoma lawmakers are now struggling to write a budget with $611 million less revenue available than what was appropriated last year. It’s easy to blame falling energy prices and accompanying job losses for the shortfall – until we recall that… Read more [More...]
Unless the Legislature acts to halt it, the state’s top income tax rate will fall from 5.25 to 5 percent next January based on legislation passed last session, SB 1246, that tied the top rate cut to a revenue trigger.… Read more [More...]
In today’s economy, a college education is more important for finding a good job and earning a decent income. Yet for children of low- and moderate-income families, the cost of higher education can be a substantial barrier to enrolling in… Read more [More...]
One year ago, parents and educators organized a powerful campaign to amend a state law that would have automatically retained thousands of 3rd-grade children who failed a standardized reading test. In response, the Legislature passed a bill temporarily revising the… Read more [More...]
It’s rare that Congress finds bipartisan consensus on important issues, but that happened last month when the House approved health care legislation that includes an extension of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Last night the bill was overwhelmingly… Read more [More...]
As the Oklahoma Legislature enters the final months of session, state agencies and the populations they serve are bracing for another round of painful budget cuts. A stark example of the high stakes involved in this year’s budget shortfall is… Read more [More...]
Note: This is an updated and expanded version of a column that ran in the Journal Record.
Faced with a $611 million budget shortfall, elected leaders have many tough decisions to make. But one decision should be easy: halting a… Read more [More...]
