Category: Press Releases & Statements

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...]

STATEMENT: Tax cut vote ignores the wishes of Oklahomans and what’s best for economy

Oklahoma Policy Institute released the following statement in response to the passage of SB 1246, which schedules automatic cuts to the top income tax rate: Today House members have ignored the wishes of most Oklahoma voters and the best evidence… Read more [More...]

Poll: Voters favor eliminating tax breaks for horizontal drilling

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: David Blatt 918-859-8747918-859-8747 (cell) Poll: Voters Favor Eliminating Tax Break for Horizontal Drilling (Tulsa, OK: April 8, 2014): A new poll finds that Oklahoma voters strongly support eliminating tax breaks for horizontal drilling in order to … Read more [More...]

STATEMENT: Education rally points to a better strategy for Oklahoma

Oklahoma Policy Institute Executive Director David Blatt released the following statement in response to the rally for education funding today at the State Capitol: The tens of thousands who rallied at the Capitol today should be a wake-up call to… Read more [More...]

Impact of tax cuts on Kansas offers a warning to Oklahoma

As Oklahoma considers tax cuts similar to those that took effect in Kansas last year, a new report shows that following in Kansas’s footsteps is a bad idea.  Kansas’s massive tax cuts have failed to improve the state’s economic performance,… Read more [More...]