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In The Know is a daily synopsis of Oklahoma policy-related news and blogs. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail.
Today you should know that Oklahoma’s statewide average gas price surged above the national average for the first time in more than 5 years. The Cherokee Nation has approved plans to team up with four other tribes to develop a 90-turbine wind farm in Kay County. The OK Policy Blog discussed a consultant’s report on developing an Oklahoma plan for expanding health coverage, which appears to be moving Oklahoma along a path to accept federal dollars.
Kaiser Health News reports on a new Oklahoma law that could force doctors to perform painful, costly, and often futile medical interventions on disabled, elderly, or terminally ill patients if they have any chance of extending life. David Blatt’s Journal Record column explains why the Legislature’s refusal to approve any new bonds is financially irresponsible. NewsOK urged caution about using short term revenue trends to make verdicts on the effect of tax cuts.
The Tulsa World writes that funding for an Oklahoma popular culture museum is important for its economic benefits and to preserve Oklahoma history. KJRH reports that despite a recently approved bond issue for Tulsa Public Schools, education funding is still a problem in Oklahoma. The Number of the Day is the number of Oklahomans, one-third of whom have incomes below the poverty level, who will lose their state-sponsored health coverage if Oklahoma continues to refuse to comply with the Affordable Care Act. In today’s Policy Note, the Atlantic shares two maps that explode one of the biggest myths about student loans.
In The News
Oklahoma gas price surges above national average
Gasoline prices usually increase this time of year as refineries shut down temporarily to convert so they can produce cleaner-burning, summer-blend gasoline. That increase tends to be fairly uniform nationwide. This month’s run-up, however, has been sharp and regional, with prices spiking in Oklahoma and other mostly Plains states. Oklahomans typically enjoy some of the lowest-priced gasoline in the country, with a statewide average that usually ranks among the five lowest states. For the first time in more than five years, however, Oklahoma’s statewide average price is above the national average, with 29 states recording lower statewide average prices.
Cherokees OK joint wind-energy project in north-central Oklahoma
The Cherokee Nation has approved plans to team up with four other tribes to develop a 90-turbine wind farm in Kay County. The five tribes will jointly operate the facility with 45 turbines on 3,000 acres of Cherokee-owned property and 45 more turbines on 3,000 acres owned by the four other tribes – the Kaw Nation, Otoe-Missouria Tribe, Pawnee Nation and Ponca Nation. The Cherokee Nation’s partner is Chicago-based PNE Wind USA Inc. Development of the wind farm will begin immediately, tribal officials said. In a news release, the Cherokee Nation says the wind farm will be the largest of its kind on tribal land in the United States.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Leavitt or Leave It: Consultant’s report suggests path for expanding health insurance coverage
Last week saw important developments in the debate over expanding health coverage for uninsured low-income Oklahomans. While it now seems certain that Oklahoma will not expand coverage at the start of 2014, the state finally appears to be moving along a path to accept federal dollars for expanding coverage in future years. In many respects, Oklahoma is especially well-situated to take advantage of federal flexibility to design a homegrown solution that meets our needs. Since 2006, we have operated Insure Oklahoma, a successful and popular premium subsidy program that uses state and federal Medicaid dollars to allow low-income workers to buy into their employer’s private coverage.
Read more from the OK Policy Blog.
Oklahoma law reflects divide over end-of-life issues
University of Tulsa law professor Marguerite Chapman has been studying end-of-life issues in Oklahoma for three decades and has come to a conclusion: “It’s getting almost to the point that you need a government permit in order to die in this state.” Certainly, dying has gotten a lot more complicated here, the result of a unique measure passed by the Oklahoma legislature and signed into law last month by Republican Gov. Mary Fallin. Modeled after legislation written by the National Right to Life Committee, the law says that patients who are disabled, elderly or terminally ill cannot be denied life-preserving treatments if they or their health proxies want it.
Read more from Kaiser Health News.
Prosperity Policy: Bonding Bugaboo
Imagine a family that decides to pay cash to buy a car rather than accepting a loan at very low financing terms. The family then finds itself without enough money to pay for the month’s groceries or fix a broken heater. Would they be considered financially responsible? This situation is not far removed from how our state’s elected leaders addressed this year’s budget. The budget fails to include desperately needed pay raises for public safety officers and schoolteachers. It provides no funding to address the staffing crisis in our correctional facilities and barely makes a dent in the 7,000-plus-person waiting list for services for those with developmental disabilities. Yet despite historically low interest rates, lawmakers took close to $100 million out of this year’s budget to repair the state Capitol and other public buildings, and to fund information technology consolidation.
Read more from the Journal Record.
Caution urged in forecasting state revenue trends
Weather trends are often cited to support political positions, such as those either pushing a climate change agenda or opposing that agenda. It’s dangerous, though, to put too much stock in short-term temperature or precipitation trends when formulating a policy stance. The same is true of government revenue trends. We thus urge caution in jumping to conclusions about a trend toward higher state income tax collections at a time when income tax cuts are supposedly depressing revenues. Those who pushed the cuts are enthused by recent trends. They’ve said for years that total revenues increase following tax cuts, when the opposite should be true.
OK OKPOP and preserve Oklahoma history
The list of Oklahomans who have made significant contributions to the arts is a long one. It would be a good idea to share those contributions with others. The proposed Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture, OKPOP, would not only preserve the state’s cultural history but would be an economic boon to both Tulsa and the state. Construction of the 75,000-square-foot, four-story building would add $13.5 million to the economy and, according to the Tulsa Regional Chamber, the museum’s first year of operation could add $17.6 million. Even if those numbers are slightly inflated, the economic impact the museum could have would be good for the city and state. As important as the economic bottom line would be, the museum’s goal is to preserve the history of popular culture, especially the contributions made by Oklahomans.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Despite Tulsa Public Schools bond, school funding still an issue
A drop in the bucket. That’s what some say Tuesday’s $38 million bond initiative amounts to because of a larger education funding problem in Oklahoma. According to the OK Policy Institute, school funding is down by more than $220 million since 2008, an amount equivalent to laying off 5,000 teachers. The institute says recent increases by state lawmakers aren’t enough to keep up with growing enrollment. Spending per student is down $49 from last year, according to the institute.
Quote of the Day
It’s getting almost to the point that you need a government permit in order to die in this state.
–University of Tulsa law professor Marguerite Chapman, on a new Oklahoma law that could force doctors to perform painful, costly, and often futile medical interventions on disabled, elderly, or terminally ill patients if they have any chance of extending life
Number of the Day
30,000
The number of Oklahomans, one-third of whom have incomes below the poverty level, who will lose their state-sponsored health coverage if Oklahoma continues to refuse to comply with the Affordable Care Act
Source: Oklahoma Policy Institute
See previous Numbers of the Day here.
Policy Note
These 2 Maps About Student Loans Explode One of the Biggest Myths About Student Loans
One of the nuances that often gets lost in discussions about student debt is that the biggest borrowers aren’t necessarily the riskiest borrowers. There are many people who take out modest loans but have trouble paying them back, either because they fail to graduate or because their degree doesn’t open many doors in the job market. A statistical case-in-point: According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 17 percent of all student borrowers are 90 days delinquent on their payments, yet only 11.2 percent of all loan balances are that far behind. That gap suggests there are lots of small-time debtors in trouble these days. Looking at the geography of student borrowing teaches us a similar lesson.
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