Category: Media

New Census data shows Oklahoma’s economy is leaving too many behind

New data shows that poverty remained high in Oklahoma last year, highlighting that many people have not yet recovered from the recession and underscoring the need for Oklahoma to do more to help people struggling to afford basics like decent… Read more [More...]

Will the government stop using the poor as a piggy bank? (MSNBC)

By Suzy Khimm Kyle DeWitt was sentenced to three days in jail after he couldn’t afford to pay a fine for catching a fishout of season in Michigan. Nicole Bolden spent a day in a Missouri jail after failing to… Read more [More...]

OKC Legislator Proposes to Raise Subminimum Wage (Okemah News Leader)

State Rep. Mike Shelton said Monday he intends to introduce legislation next year that would raise the subminimum wage for service-sector employees whose meager salaries are supplemented with tips. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, workers younger than 20, workers… Read more [More...]

Segregation in modern-day Tulsa schools based more on income than race, panel says (Tulsa World)

By Andrea Eger Marking the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to end racial segregation in public schools, a panel of community leaders on Thursday examined dramatic shifts in Tulsa’s modern-day segregation patterns. “We see that our schools… Read more [More...]

2014 Oklahoma Summer Policy Institute Session Recordings (KWGS)

By Frank Christel This year’s Summer Policy Institute was held August 3-6, 2014 at The University of Tulsa. The event brings together more than 50 highly-qualified undergraduate and graduate students for a four-day learning experience. The Institute is hosted by… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma Policy Institute honors Henry Bellmon (Tulsa World)

By Randy Krehbiel Few political figures had a broader or longer-lasting influence on Oklahoma during the second half of the 20th century than Henry Bellmon. “He thought big,” former state Sen. Penny Williams, a Democrat, said during a Monday panel… Read more [More...]

Report examines growing cost of Quality Jobs program

The Quality Jobs Program is one of the largest business subsidies in Oklahoma. Quality Jobs spending has grown steadily in recent years, reaching $82.3 million in fiscal year 2014 even as most other state programs saw budget cuts. A new… Read more [More...]

Courts issue contradictory rulings on Affordable Care Act (Tulsa World)

By Randy Krehbiel A key component of the Affordable Care Act utilized by 55,000 Oklahomans was thrown into question Tuesday when separate federal appeals courts came down on opposite sides of the issue. Oklahoma Republicans and opponents of the ACA… Read more [More...]

Statement: Lawsuit threatens health care for working Oklahomans

Oklahoma Policy Institute issued the following statement in response to a court ruling that threatens to strike down tax credits that reduce the cost of insurance on healthcare.gov: The D.C. Circuit Court ruling threatens to take away much-needed financial support… Read more [More...]

Without Medicaid expansion, many Oklahomans with mental health issues will go untreated, experts say (NewsOK)

By Jaclyn Cosgrove  A framed portrait of Abraham Lincoln hangs prominently near Joshua Kraft’s bedroom door. For Kraft, it’s a reminder of what he could be, what he wants to be.  Although historians don’t agree across the board on how… Read more [More...]