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
October 26, 2011 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Under the new national health care law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), one major strategy for providing health insurance coverage to the 50 million Americans who are currently uninsured is an expansion of eligibility in the Medicaid… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
October 19, 2011 // Updated: May 1, 2019
Though revenue collections continue to show steady growth, state budgets remain under great stress. After three successive years of funding cuts, most state agencies are operating this year with appropriations that are at least 10 percent less than prior to… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
October 17, 2011 // Updated: May 2, 2019
In 2004, Oklahoma voters approved a series of measures intended to raise new revenues for education and health care through a state lottery (SQ 705 and 706), gaming compacts (SQ 712), and increased tobacco taxes (SQ 713). OK Policy has… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
October 10, 2011 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Note: In September, the Attorney General’s office issued a letter addressing whether the Oklahoma Commission for Human Services had acted improperly in approving changes to the state’s child care subsidy program at a June meeting without going through the official… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
October 5, 2011 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Many state political and business leaders are clamoring to do away with Oklahoma’s personal income tax, the state’s single largest revenue source, while acknowledging the need to maintain sufficient tax revenue to fund basic services. One influential participant in the… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
September 28, 2011 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Note: This afternoon, the Task Force for the Study of State Tax Credits and Economic Incentives will be examining gross production tax exemptions. This blog post on the subject initially ran in March 2011.
A recent news report examining proposals… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
September 15, 2011 // Updated: May 2, 2019
This article is co-authored by Dr. Kristen Marie Burkholder, Dr. James Cane-Carrasco, Dr. Douglas Catterall, Elizabeth Powers, Rev. Scott Scrivner, and Dr. Tony Wohlers. For the authors’ longer study of the American health care system, click here.
On March 23rd,… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
September 6, 2011 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Continuing high unemployment rates, weak economic growth, and stock market volatility are all contributing to concern and uncertainty about the national economy. But how’s Oklahoma faring in these turbulent times? I recently spoke with Chad Wilkerson, the Oklahoma City Branch… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
September 5, 2011 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Anyone concerned about the impact that long-term and short-term changes in the American economy are having on the working families that form the pillar of the American middle class should read the cover article in this month’s Atlantic monthly, “Can… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
August 31, 2011 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Hardly a day goes by without news of the latest opinion poll surveying the attitudes of Americans or Oklahomans. While many polls are carefully worded and fairly presented, some issue polling is so sloppy or biased that one suspects its… Read more [More...]
OKPOLICY.ORG
Under the new national health care law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), one major strategy for providing health insurance coverage to the 50 million Americans who are currently uninsured is an expansion of eligibility in the Medicaid… Read more [More...]
Though revenue collections continue to show steady growth, state budgets remain under great stress. After three successive years of funding cuts, most state agencies are operating this year with appropriations that are at least 10 percent less than prior to… Read more [More...]
In 2004, Oklahoma voters approved a series of measures intended to raise new revenues for education and health care through a state lottery (SQ 705 and 706), gaming compacts (SQ 712), and increased tobacco taxes (SQ 713). OK Policy has… Read more [More...]
Note: In September, the Attorney General’s office issued a letter addressing whether the Oklahoma Commission for Human Services had acted improperly in approving changes to the state’s child care subsidy program at a June meeting without going through the official… Read more [More...]
Many state political and business leaders are clamoring to do away with Oklahoma’s personal income tax, the state’s single largest revenue source, while acknowledging the need to maintain sufficient tax revenue to fund basic services. One influential participant in the… Read more [More...]
Note: This afternoon, the Task Force for the Study of State Tax Credits and Economic Incentives will be examining gross production tax exemptions. This blog post on the subject initially ran in March 2011.
A recent news report examining proposals… Read more [More...]
This article is co-authored by Dr. Kristen Marie Burkholder, Dr. James Cane-Carrasco, Dr. Douglas Catterall, Elizabeth Powers, Rev. Scott Scrivner, and Dr. Tony Wohlers. For the authors’ longer study of the American health care system, click here.
On March 23rd,… Read more [More...]
Continuing high unemployment rates, weak economic growth, and stock market volatility are all contributing to concern and uncertainty about the national economy. But how’s Oklahoma faring in these turbulent times? I recently spoke with Chad Wilkerson, the Oklahoma City Branch… Read more [More...]
Anyone concerned about the impact that long-term and short-term changes in the American economy are having on the working families that form the pillar of the American middle class should read the cover article in this month’s Atlantic monthly, “Can… Read more [More...]
Hardly a day goes by without news of the latest opinion poll surveying the attitudes of Americans or Oklahomans. While many polls are carefully worded and fairly presented, some issue polling is so sloppy or biased that one suspects its… Read more [More...]
