Category: Media

Slate of Criminal Justice Reform Measures Sent to Governor (Public Radio Tulsa)

By Matt Trotter Four criminal justice reform bills are Gov. Mary Fallin’s signature away from becoming law. “It’s common-sense reform that the district attorneys, working with other people in law enforcement, came up with over the summer on the governor’s… Read more [More...]

The OK Policy Institute’s David Blatt on Gov. Fallin’s Recommendations to Fill the State Budget Gap (Studio Tulsa)

By Rich Fisher Yesterday at the State Capitol, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin offered her recommendations to the State Legislature on how to fill next year’s estimated $1.3 billion budget deficit. Her “Budget 2.0” provides for exempting Common Education, the Oklahoma… Read more [More...]

Approval of Budget Proposals Might Not Prevent Medicaid Cuts (Oklahoma Watch)

By Warren Vieth  State health care officials say they might be forced to proceed with a June 1 pay cut to Medicaid providers even if the Legislature enacts Gov. Mary Fallin’s proposals to ease the budget crisis. The Oklahoma Health… Read more [More...]

New poll: Large majority of Oklahoma voters favor income tax increases to prevent funding cuts

A new poll shows that large majorities of Oklahoma voters favor stopping this year’s income tax cut and restoring a 6.65 percent top income tax rate for the wealthiest households to ease the state budget emergency. Solid majorities of both… Read more [More...]

Not Just Numbers; Punching Down, Oklahoma style (Tulsa Voice)

By Barry Friedman Institutional callousness was averted last month when the State Senate Committee on Health and Human Services voted against HB 2665, an inexplicably heartless piece of legislation that would have eliminated Medicaid benefits for any “non pregnant able-bodied… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma Eyes Obamacare Funds, But Without Medicaid Expansion (Bloomberg)

By John Tozzi  Dwight Sublett has seen a lot of busts in his 33 years as a pediatrician in Stillwater, Oklahoma, but this year ranks among the worst. With oil hovering at $35 a barrel, the state is facing a… Read more [More...]

Byng Schools prepare for drastic funding cuts (The Ada News)

By Carl Lewis Officials at Byng Public Schools are bracing for fallout from repeated budget cuts as the state’s budget failure continues to drain resources from already cash-strapped Oklahoma schools. In a letter sent home with students, Byng Superintendent Todd… Read more [More...]

Potential solutions to Oklahoma budget crisis struggling to find legislative support (OU Daily)

By Emma Keith Oklahoma’s state budget crisis and falling tax revenue are squeezing education at all levels, and ideas to raise revenue are struggling to gain traction in the legislature. Though countless other sources support education funding, state taxes are… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma leaders ponder ways to stabilize state’s shaky Medicaid program (Tulsa World)

By Barbara Hoberock  OKLAHOMA CITY — Officials unveiled on Thursday the framework of a proposal to provide subsidized medical insurance to more Oklahomans. The proposal also calls for moving thousands of people who are on Medicaid into the private market… Read more [More...]

Statement: Plan to accept federal funds for health care can be key piece to prevent budget disaster

Oklahoma Policy Institute released the following statement in response to news that the Oklahoma Health Care Authority has developed plans to accept federal funds for expanding health coverage: It is great news for Oklahoma that state officials have come up… Read more [More...]