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, 2014 // Updated: May 1, 2019
Yesterday the legislature passed the FY 2015 General Appropriations bill, which funds state government for the upcoming year on the basis of an agreement reached by Governor Fallin and legislative leaders. While negotiators were clearly dealt a tough hand in… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
May 22, 2014 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Almost two years after finalizing an historic plan to transform its child welfare system, a new report finds that the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) is falling short of making “good faith efforts to achieve substantial and sustained progress”… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
May 20, 2014 // Updated: May 2, 2019
HB 2562 would make permanent a huge tax break for oil and gas production by taxing all drilling at just 2 percent for the first 3 years of production. Extending and expanding the current tax break is unnecessary for the… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
May 16, 2014 // Updated: May 2, 2019
On May 9th, the State Department of Education announced that 7,970 third graders, or 16.4 percent of Oklahoma’s third grade population, scored unsatisfactory on the state’s standardized 3rd grade reading test, the OCCT. These children and their families will be… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
May 12, 2014 // Updated: May 2, 2019
In a year’s time, a temporary tax break that reduces the tax paid on horizontal oil and gas production from 7 percent to 1 percent for 48 months is set to expire. Executives from the three largest Oklahoma-based companies that… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
May 5, 2014 // Updated: May 2, 2019
In mid-April, State Finance Director Preston Doerflinger sent a letter to state agency directors alerting them to “the possibility of a revenue failure declaration for Fiscal Year 2014… following unusually weak General Revenue Fund (GRF) collections in February and March.”… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
April 29, 2014 // Updated: May 2, 2019
See also our Tax Reform information page and Budget and Taxes page for resources on other Oklahoma tax issues
Reports and Fact Sheets
1-page Table on Gross Production Rates under HB 2562 and Old Law (June 2015)
NEW: Fact Sheet… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
April 23, 2014 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Earlier this month, some 50,000 Oklahoma third-graders came head-to-head with high-stakes testing. These 8- and 9-year old children took the state standardized reading test known as the OCCT. Under revisions to the Reading Sufficiency Act passed in 2011, beginning this… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
April 22, 2014 // Updated: May 2, 2019
For Oklahoma’s elected officials looking to increase funding for education, the sensible solution can be found right under our feet. By doing away with what has become an increasingly unnecessary and unaffordable tax break, every school district and every school… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
April 16, 2014 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Download the TogetherOK fact sheet: SoonerCare Cuts Threaten Oklahoma’s Health
Just prior to the start of the legislative session we ran a blog post titled “Avoiding devastating health care cuts will require hard choices.” Two-and-a-half months later, as legislative leaders… Read more [More...]
OKPOLICY.ORG
Yesterday the legislature passed the FY 2015 General Appropriations bill, which funds state government for the upcoming year on the basis of an agreement reached by Governor Fallin and legislative leaders. While negotiators were clearly dealt a tough hand in… Read more [More...]
Almost two years after finalizing an historic plan to transform its child welfare system, a new report finds that the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) is falling short of making “good faith efforts to achieve substantial and sustained progress”… Read more [More...]
HB 2562 would make permanent a huge tax break for oil and gas production by taxing all drilling at just 2 percent for the first 3 years of production. Extending and expanding the current tax break is unnecessary for the… Read more [More...]
On May 9th, the State Department of Education announced that 7,970 third graders, or 16.4 percent of Oklahoma’s third grade population, scored unsatisfactory on the state’s standardized 3rd grade reading test, the OCCT. These children and their families will be… Read more [More...]
In a year’s time, a temporary tax break that reduces the tax paid on horizontal oil and gas production from 7 percent to 1 percent for 48 months is set to expire. Executives from the three largest Oklahoma-based companies that… Read more [More...]
In mid-April, State Finance Director Preston Doerflinger sent a letter to state agency directors alerting them to “the possibility of a revenue failure declaration for Fiscal Year 2014… following unusually weak General Revenue Fund (GRF) collections in February and March.”… Read more [More...]
Earlier this month, some 50,000 Oklahoma third-graders came head-to-head with high-stakes testing. These 8- and 9-year old children took the state standardized reading test known as the OCCT. Under revisions to the Reading Sufficiency Act passed in 2011, beginning this… Read more [More...]
For Oklahoma’s elected officials looking to increase funding for education, the sensible solution can be found right under our feet. By doing away with what has become an increasingly unnecessary and unaffordable tax break, every school district and every school… Read more [More...]
Download the TogetherOK fact sheet: SoonerCare Cuts Threaten Oklahoma’s Health
Just prior to the start of the legislative session we ran a blog post titled “Avoiding devastating health care cuts will require hard choices.” Two-and-a-half months later, as legislative leaders… Read more [More...]
