Category: Press Releases & Statements

Oklahoma’s Poor and Middle Income Families Pay a Higher Percentage in State, Local Taxes

(Oklahoma City, Nov. 18, 2009): State and local taxes take a bigger toll on the incomes of Oklahoma’s low- and moderate-income households than on higher-income households, according to a new study by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a… Read more [More...]

OK Policy Forecasts Give Extended Picture of State’s Budget Crisis

(Oklahoma City, Nov. 10, 2009): The impact of the current recession will be long and deep in Oklahoma, and state services will continue to deteriorate, according to a report released today by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. The issue brief explores… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma Policy Institute Releases its Online Budget Guide

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK-Oklahoma Policy Institute today released its Online Budget Guide, a comprehensive look at how Oklahoma state and local governments collect and spend money to provide public services. The Online Budget Guide is designed to give citizens and policy… Read more [More...]

New Report Puts Focus on Assets and Financial Security in Oklahoma

(Oklahoma City, September 21, 2009): The release of a comprehensive new state-level  Scorecard on assets and financial stability provides an opportunity to focus on efforts to help Oklahoma families get ahead and become more financially secure, according to the members… Read more [More...]

OK Policy Budget Review

(Oklahoma City, June 3, 2009): The use of federal stimulus managed to cushion the impact of declining state revenue collections and help minimize or avert funding cuts to most large state agencies, but funding gaps and hard choices will remain… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma Policy Institute Recommends Using Rainy Day Fund Now to Minimize Damage to State Services

(Oklahoma City, May 11, 2009): A new issue brief released today by Oklahoma Policy Institute (OK Policy) urges state leaders to add the Rainy Day Fund (RDF) into the discussion of the state budget for the upcoming fiscal year, FY… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma Can Protect State Services by Decoupling from Federal Business Tax Provisions

(Oklahoma City, May 4, 2009): Oklahoma faces a budget shortfall of at least $600 million in the coming fiscal year, 2009-10. Federal stimulus bill (American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009, or ARRA) tax provisions could make this gap $46… Read more [More...]

New Fact Sheet Examines Gross Production Taxes and Exemptions

(Oklahoma City, April 28, 2009):  Oklahoma Policy Institute released a new fact sheet on Oklahoma’s gross production tax that takes a specific look at the tax exemptions that are offered for different forms of oil and gas production. Over the… Read more [More...]

Updating Unemployment Insurance Laws Would Bolster Trust Fund, Help Oklahoma’s Workers and Businesses

(Oklahoma City, April 2, 2009):  A new issue brief from Oklahoma Policy Institute calls on Oklahoma to take advantage of opportunities provided in the federal stimulus bill to make modest changes to its Unemployment Insurance program that would bolster the… Read more [More...]

Policy Group Calls on Governor to Create Accountability Board to Oversee Federal Recovery Funds

(Oklahoma City, February 25, 2009): Oklahoma Policy Institute today called on Governor Brad Henry to promote transparency and public confidence in the expenditure of funds coming to Oklahoma as part of the federal economic stimulus bill by creating an Oklahoma… Read more [More...]