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
March 7, 2019 // Updated: January 6, 2020
Our healthy fiscal outlook provides a great opportunity to build on the progress made last year by making sizeable investments in critical needs that have long gone unmet. However, Governor Kevin Stitt, in his FY 2020 budget blueprint, suggested going in a different direction. The Governor’s approach would tilt the budget too heavily towards savings at the expense of key investments that are urgently needed to promote Oklahoma’s prosperity and well-being. [More...]
By: David Blatt
February 12, 2019 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Some of the fiercest battles of recent legislative sessions have centered on tax policy as lawmakers debated competing tax proposals to limit funding cuts and provide teachers a raise. This year, thanks to a strong economy and recent tax increases, the state's budget outlook is greatly improved. Yet even if the stakes are lower, lawmakers still filed hundreds of bills this session that would revise Oklahoma's tax system. [More...]
By: David Blatt
January 10, 2019 // Updated: May 1, 2019
After a decade of ongoing shortfalls and repeated cuts to core services, Oklahoma’s finances are finally in recovery. Revenues are growing and lawmakers are expected to have substantially more money for next year’s budget, according to initial projections that were… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
December 27, 2018 // Updated: January 19, 2019
Typically, when we reach out to ask you to contribute to Oklahoma Policy Institute, we list all the good reasons we believe you should support our work with a tax-deductible donation. But it’s become an end-of-year tradition for us to… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
November 15, 2018 // Updated: December 19, 2019
Looking at the headlines, the results of the November elections might give the impression that nothing much has changed in Oklahoma. Led by Governor-elect Kevin Stitt, Republicans swept all eight statewide offices for a third consecutive election, with all candidates… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
October 23, 2018 // Updated: May 2, 2019
As online commerce has grown into an ever-increasing share of the U.S. economy, Oklahoma and other states have struggled with the problem of lost tax revenue from untaxed sales. A major Supreme Court ruling this past June, combined with actions… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
October 9, 2018 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Across the United States, 2018 is being heralded as the Year of the Woman in American politics. Building on a surge of activism following the election of Donald Trump, including the national women’s marches and the #metoo movement, the “Pink… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
September 26, 2018 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Oklahoma will begin to set aside a portion of future oil and gas revenues for a new reserve fund if voters approve State Question 800 in November.
SQ 800 creates a new trust fund known as the Oklahoma Vision Fund in… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
September 3, 2018 // Updated: January 19, 2019
Today Oklahoma Policy Institute published a series of fact sheets on each of the state questions on Oklahoma ballots this year. In addition to state and national races, voters will decide five state questions on November 6th:
State Question 793… Read more [More...]
By: David Blatt
August 23, 2018 // Updated: May 1, 2019
As Oklahoma heads into a new budget year and closes the books on FY 2018, two things are especially clear: Oklahoma’s fiscal situation is much improved, but we still have a long ways to go to recover from a decade… Read more [More...]
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Our healthy fiscal outlook provides a great opportunity to build on the progress made last year by making sizeable investments in critical needs that have long gone unmet. However, Governor Kevin Stitt, in his FY 2020 budget blueprint, suggested going in a different direction. The Governor’s approach would tilt the budget too heavily towards savings at the expense of key investments that are urgently needed to promote Oklahoma’s prosperity and well-being. [More...]
Some of the fiercest battles of recent legislative sessions have centered on tax policy as lawmakers debated competing tax proposals to limit funding cuts and provide teachers a raise. This year, thanks to a strong economy and recent tax increases, the state's budget outlook is greatly improved. Yet even if the stakes are lower, lawmakers still filed hundreds of bills this session that would revise Oklahoma's tax system. [More...]
After a decade of ongoing shortfalls and repeated cuts to core services, Oklahoma’s finances are finally in recovery. Revenues are growing and lawmakers are expected to have substantially more money for next year’s budget, according to initial projections that were… Read more [More...]
Typically, when we reach out to ask you to contribute to Oklahoma Policy Institute, we list all the good reasons we believe you should support our work with a tax-deductible donation. But it’s become an end-of-year tradition for us to… Read more [More...]
Looking at the headlines, the results of the November elections might give the impression that nothing much has changed in Oklahoma. Led by Governor-elect Kevin Stitt, Republicans swept all eight statewide offices for a third consecutive election, with all candidates… Read more [More...]
As online commerce has grown into an ever-increasing share of the U.S. economy, Oklahoma and other states have struggled with the problem of lost tax revenue from untaxed sales. A major Supreme Court ruling this past June, combined with actions… Read more [More...]
Across the United States, 2018 is being heralded as the Year of the Woman in American politics. Building on a surge of activism following the election of Donald Trump, including the national women’s marches and the #metoo movement, the “Pink… Read more [More...]
Oklahoma will begin to set aside a portion of future oil and gas revenues for a new reserve fund if voters approve State Question 800 in November.
SQ 800 creates a new trust fund known as the Oklahoma Vision Fund in… Read more [More...]
Today Oklahoma Policy Institute published a series of fact sheets on each of the state questions on Oklahoma ballots this year. In addition to state and national races, voters will decide five state questions on November 6th:
State Question 793… Read more [More...]
As Oklahoma heads into a new budget year and closes the books on FY 2018, two things are especially clear: Oklahoma’s fiscal situation is much improved, but we still have a long ways to go to recover from a decade… Read more [More...]
