Category: Media

Statement: Oklahoma has a responsible solution to tobacco tax standoff

Oklahoma Policy Institute released the following statement in response to the standoff in the Legislature over a tobacco tax increase: Accepting available federal dollars for health care and rolling back an income tax cut that should not be happening in… Read more [More...]

Obamacare gets an OK? A bastion of Republican ACA opposition might be crumbling (Salon)

By Simon Maloy   (Credit: Reuters/Carlos Barria) If one were to forced to choose which state has demonstrated the most political hostility towards the Affordable Care Act, you could definitely build a strong case for Oklahoma. The state is about a… Read more [More...]

When the oil boom went bust, Oklahoma protected drillers and squeezed schools (Reuters)

By Luc Cohen and Joshua Schneyer Oilmen won a big victory when legislators made permanent one of the juiciest tax breaks in the United States. Schools, meanwhile, are having to cut classes, administrators and teachers to make up a growing… Read more [More...]

Are Oklahoma tax dollars being wasted on too many tax breaks for oil, gas companies? (KFOR)

By Abby Broyles OKLAHOMA CITY – State lawmakers have less than two weeks now to figure out the budget. Many experts blame the $1.3 billion budget shortfall on the plummeting prices of crude oil. Other experts say there’s more to… Read more [More...]

Protecting vital services while balancing the budget (Journal Record)

By Arnold Hamilton Barring an upset of biblical proportions, Oklahoma’s Legislature will balance the 2016-17 budget on the backs of the middle class and the working poor. If lawmakers can even bring themselves to raise new revenue, it most likely… Read more [More...]

Faith leaders, nonprofit groups lobby to protect tax credits for low-income families, seniors (Tulsa World)

By Barbara Hoberock OKLAHOMA CITY — Ministers and nonprofit groups urged state lawmakers Wednesday not to reduce or eliminate tax credits that benefit low-income Oklahomans. David Blatt, executive director of the Tulsa-based Oklahoma Policy Institute, said at a Capitol news… Read more [More...]

Mind Your Own Business: Yay Google, for dumping payday loan ads (News OK)

By Paula Burkes Like numerous consumer advocacy groups, I applaud Google’s announcement this morningthat they’re banning ads for payday loans and other predatory lending. It’s been 11 years ago, but I’ll never forgot the story I wrote on one Oklahoman… Read more [More...]

Dozens of clergy, non-profits, and foundation leaders speak out to defend broad-based tax credits

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Oklahoma City — More than 140 religious leaders and over two dozen non-profit organizations and foundations are speaking out against state budget plans that threaten tax credits for hundreds of thousands of working families and seniors. Clergy… Read more [More...]

Lawmakers play ball while budget crisis looms (Fox 25)

By Phil Cross OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — With a $1.3 billion budget hole and a deadline looming what would you expect your elected leaders would be doing? Fox 25 found several state representatives playing ball during a time many people… Read more [More...]

Clergy urge Oklahoma lawmakers to keep tax credits for poor (Hastings Tribune)

By Sue Ogrocki OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Religious leaders from across Oklahoma are urging lawmakers not to get rid of tax credits that support hundreds of thousands of middle- and low-income residents. A letter signed by more than 140 clergy… Read more [More...]