Wide range seen in legislative session grading (NewsOK)

The Oklahoman Editorial Grading school districts and individual schools is a controversial state policy that occupied some of the time of legislators in the 2013 session. As for grading how wisely legislators spent their time this session, report cards are… Read more [More...]

Making it stick: Oklahoma’s divorce rate remains high (Tulsa World)

By Julie Delcour, Tulsa World In 1999, during a garden gala outside the governor’s mansion, Gov. Frank Keating unveiled plans for an ambitious project, the No. 1 family issue of his second term.  Keating’s goal was to cut the state… Read more [More...]

Social safety net, opportunity in decline, symposium speakers say (Tulsa World)

By Randy Krehbiel, Tulsa World  Oklahomans tend to be more into gun shows and individual responsibility than seminars on race relations, wealth inequality and holes in the social safety net. That makes the John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation’s annual… Read more [More...]

Another quality Oklahoma Policy Blog piece (JCO)

Mike Connelly, JCO We regularly laud the OK Policy Blog as a jewel among the policy-oriented blogs for any state. In a “good government” state and/or a fair world, the whole staff would be driving Beemers and on their third… Read more [More...]

Governor Fallin’s misleading tax cut (OK Politechs)

By Charles M. Phipps, OK Politechs I don’t agree with much at all of what the Oklahoma Policy Institute puts out, but their information about the recent tax cut legislation passed by the Oklahoma legislature and signed into law by… Read more [More...]

STATEMENT: Governor’s proposal for Insure Oklahoma sacrifices taxpayers and uninsured

Oklahoma Policy Institute released the following statement in response to Governor Fallin’s call to continue Insure Oklahoma with state-only dollars: It should be of grave concern to Oklahomans that Governor Fallin is proposing to use $50 million in state-only dollars… Read more [More...]

School spending should actually fund reforms (NewsOK)

The Oklahoman Editorial Over the past few years, school officials have repeatedly decried the education reforms that they claimed were unfunded. This year, schools are getting a not-insignificant budget increase. As lawmakers provide it, they should ensure the money actually… Read more [More...]

STATEMENT: Tax cut ignores economic reality

Oklahoma Policy Institute released the following statement on the Legislature’s passage of the tax cut and Capitol renovation bill, HB 2032: The Legislature’s approval of another tax cut ignores economic reality. Because they were under pressure to restore funding to… Read more [More...]

Poll shows Oklahomans oppose tax cut plan after hearing the facts

The final House vote on the tax cut bill will likely happen tomorrow. Click here to contact lawmakers and speak out. A new poll commissioned by OK Policy shows that a strong majority of Oklahomans oppose a plan to cut… Read more [More...]

STATEMENT: Tax cut plan follows a bad example

OK Policy released the following statement on the latest tax cut proposal by Governor Fallin and Legislative leaders: Since 2008, Oklahoma public schools have endured the third largest budget cuts in the nation. Out of control tax breaks contributed to… Read more [More...]