Category: Press Releases & Statements

Options to fix Oklahoma’s budget shortfall

For Immediate Release: March 17, 2015 State officials have projected that Oklahoma is facing a $611 million budget shortfall for next year. The shortfall comes at a time when this year’s state budget is already $680 million smaller than six… Read more [More...]

STATEMENT: Bleak revenue estimate shows need to look at all options

Oklahoma Policy Institute released the following statement in response to state officials certifying that Oklahoma faces a $611.3 million budget shortfall in the coming year: This news that Oklahoma’s revenue picture has gone from bad to worse cannot be blamed… Read more [More...]

STATEMENT: Governor Fallin’s proposed budget leaves Oklahoma’s best tools on the shelf

Oklahoma Policy Institute released the following statement in response to Governor Fallin’s proposed state budget for 2016: Governor Fallin rightly recognizes that Oklahoma needs to boost education funding, reduce incarceration, rein in tax breaks, and improve our citizens’ health, and… Read more [More...]

Statement: Allowing tax cut to trigger is supremely irresponsible

Oklahoma Policy Institute Executive Director David Blatt released the following statement in response to Oklahoma’s latest revenue estimates that under current law will trigger a tax cut in 2016: It is supremely irresponsible to move forward with an income tax… Read more [More...]

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...]

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...]

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...]

STATEMENT: Vote to make drilling tax break permanent folds to lobbying power, harms OK economy

Oklahoma Policy Institute released the following statement in response to the Legislature voting to make permanent a multimillion dollar tax break for horizontal drilling: This bill continues a huge, unnecessary subsidy for drilling that would have happened without the subsidy.… Read more [More...]

STATEMENT: Budget deal is fiscally irresponsible, hurts Oklahoma’s most vulnerable citizens

Oklahoma Policy Institute released the following statement in response to Oklahoma’s FY 2015 budget deal: The budget deal is fiscally irresponsible and will do serious harm to Oklahoma’s most vulnerable citizens and those who care for them. Even in a… Read more [More...]

STATEMENT: Lawmakers should reject deal to expand industry tax break

Oklahoma Policy Institute released the following statement on reports that state leaders are arranging a deal with oil and gas executives to extend the horizontal drilling tax break to all wells at 2 percent for four years: Expanding this unnecessary… Read more [More...]