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In The Know is your daily briefing on Oklahoma policy-related news. OK Policy encourages the support of Oklahoma’s state and local media, which are vital to an informed citizenry. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Some stories included here are behind paywall or require subscription. Subscribe to In The Know and see past editions.
New from OK Policy
Goal-focused approach to evaluating Tax Increment Financing projects (Guest Article): Tax increment financing districts, often called TIF districts, might seem like something only city planners, developers, or accountants need to understand. But communities across the country use TIFs to fund capital projects, and these decisions can shape how public resources are used for many years. Simply put, a TIF district is a designated area where the increase in revenue from property taxes — and sometimes sales taxes — from new developments is used to fund improvements and redevelopment within that area. In Oklahoma, TIF districts can last up to 25 years, meaning decisions made today can influence how future tax growth is used for a generation. [Guest Article / Stephen Ellis & Cynthia Rogers]
State Government News
ACLU condemns ‘ deplorable’ conditions at Oklahoma immigration detention center: The American Civil Liberties Union and several other immigrants’ rights advocates sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security Thursday condemning “deplorable” conditions inside the Diamondback Correctional Facility in Watonga. [KOSU]
Opinion, This Week in Oklahoma Politics: Gender change ruling, Jewish charter school and President Trump in Oklahoma (podcast): KOSU’s Michael Cross talks with Civic Leader Andy Moore and former Republican State Senator AJ Griffin about the state Supreme Court saying there’s no state law allowing people to change the gender on their birth certificate, a federal judge ruling in favor of an Oklahoma Jewish charter school and Department of Homeland Security Secretary opening a new immigration facility in Edmond. The trio also discusses a fight over who gets to be U.S. Senator in the last two months of Markwayne Mullin’s seat following a vote next month and President Trump comes to Oklahoma to stump for Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Mazzei. [KOSU]
Federal Government News
Trump rallies Oklahoma Republicans behind Mazzei in governor’s race: Hundreds waited in the rain to see Trump campaign for Republican Mike Mazzei as a debate with Democrat Cyndi Munson was prerecorded and aired during the event. [The Frontier]
- Trump rallies Oklahoma crowd asking GOP voters to back his favored candidates, smelter [KOSU]
- Trump midterm rally draws thousands of supporters to Oklahoma town [Oklahoma Voice]
- Trump launches campaign tour in GOP-friendly states ahead of midterms [Oklahoma Voice]
- Trump kicks off campaign tour in Oklahoma ahead of midterms [OU Daily]
US Senate leaves nation’s capital in advance of midterms with much still undone: U.S. senators departed Capitol Hill on Wednesday night for their campaign break, leaving numerous policy disputes unresolved. [Oklahoma Voice]
Tribal Nations News
Choctaw Nation in the spotlight as Trump makes rare visit to Indian Country: Very few presidents have visited tribal reservations while in office, putting Trump in rare company. Presidents Teddy Roosevelt and Barack Obama have previously visited the Choctaw reservation, in particular. [KOSU]
- Presidents rarely visit Indian Country. Trump’s planned Choctaw Nation rally will be the latest [AP & KOSU]
Voting and Election News
Election Roundup
- Oklahoma Voice releases Nov. 3 voter guide, highlighting candidates and issues [Oklahoma Voice]
- Mike Mazzei, Cyndi Munson face off in gubernatorial debate ahead of midterm election [KGOU]
- Mazzei, Munson face off in sole debate before Oklahoma governor’s race [The Oklahoman]
- John Croisant challenges Mark Tedford to congressional debate in Oklahoma’s 1st District [The Black Wall Street Times]
- Candidates for office air different views on bill impacts of data centers [Tulsa World]
Is Oklahoma’s voter participation affected by its incarceration rates?: Yes. Although not all incarcerated individuals are convicted of felonies, those in Oklahoma are barred from voting until they complete their sentences, including any parole and probation, which reduces the number of voting-age individuals eligible to vote. [Oklahoma Watch]
- Can Oklahomans with felony convictions vote? New law offers clarity on who is eligible — and when [The Oklahoma Eagle]
Education News
Opinion: A school budget is a promise, not just a spreadsheet: Last week, I spent hours with colleagues working through the implications of House Bill 1300. We compared assumptions, studied budget calculations, and tried to explain what the November question could mean for our schools. There were spreadsheets. There were questions. There were more spreadsheets. What stayed with me, though, was not a formula. It was the distance between a number on a screen and the child whose school day that number could change. [Dr. Renee Beauregard-Bennett / The Oklahoman]
Health News
Opinion: Oklahoma Medicaid cuts threaten autism care for children: More than 22,000 Oklahomans under age 21 have autism spectrum disorder and are enrolled in Medicaid. They are among the more than 2.3 million U.S. children who are affected by autism. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in 31 children has an autism diagnosis. [Sarah Heiniger / The Oklahoman]
Housing & Economic Opportunity News
Tulsa Housing Authority opens 70 mixed-income apartments as part of redevelopment project: Tulsa Housing Authority officials this week celebrated the opening of the Landing @ 36N apartments, the newest completed phase of an approximately $220 million housing redevelopment project. [Tulsa World]
Economy & Business News
OG&E is proposing a base rate increase. What’s behind it?: Oklahoma Gas & Electric, which serves about 917,000 customers, filed a rate review with the Corporation Commission this week. Customers could see bill changes as early as next spring. [StateImpact Oklahoma via KOSU]
Five Years Later, Oklahoma’s Winter Storm Natural Gas Fight Heads Toward Trial: The mystery around why Oklahoma utility customers paid so much more for natural gas during a massive winter storm in 2021 is one step closer to being solved. [Oklahoma Watch]
Local Headlines
- Aspen Ideas brings big questions about growth, money and work to Tulsa [The Oklahoma Eagle]
- Applications open for Black Wall Street Square’s first 13 townhomes as first phase nears completion [The Oklahoma Eagle]
- After a $140.9M transformation, Gilcrease Museum is ready to open its doors in March [The Oklahoma Eagle]
Quote of the Day
“A school budget is more than a spending plan. It is a statement about the promise a community is prepared to keep to its children.”
– Dr. Renee Beauregard-Bennett, New Hampshire public school administrator and parent, writing about what school budgets mean for students and communities. [The Oklahoman]
Number of the Day
~$1.7 billion
The additional amount Oklahoma would need to spend per year to bring its per-student public school spending in line with the regional average. Oklahoma spends about $12,519 per student, compared with an average of $14,975 among surrounding states — a gap of nearly $2,500 for every student. [National Center for Education Statistics]
Policy Note
How Money Matters: Education Funding and Student Outcomes: A large and growing body of evidence shows that money, when spent equitably and effectively on key school resources, improves student outcomes and closes achievement and opportunity gaps. Research consistently shows that when more money is spent on education, especially for students from low-income families, achievement and graduation rates improve, along with life outcomes such as employment and wages. [Learning Policy Institute]
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