Issues

Responsible Budget & Taxes: With an aging population, unfunded pension obligations, and an outdated tax system, Oklahoma will struggle to provide adequate levels of funding for core public services – even without state policies that make the situation more difficult. We promote policies that will ensure adequate, fair, and fiscally responsible funding of public services.

Poverty & Expanded Opportunity: Financial security and economic opportunity should be within reach for all Oklahomans. OK Policy promotes ideas to reduce poverty and increase opportunities for individuals and families. We promote policies to expand ownership of assets which are critical to maintaining economic security over a lifetime, such as homes, businesses, vehicles, savings, investments, education, and good credit scores.

Affordable Health Care: Oklahoma’s health care system reflects the challenges of a rural, high-poverty state, and we rank among the unhealthiest states in the nation. OK Policy analyzes how federal and state health care policies affect all Oklahomans. We promote policies that will increase access to affordable health care, reduce the number of uninsured, and boost health outcomes.

Hiqh Quality Education: Educating our children is the biggest responsibility that we entrust to our state and local governments. Nevertheless, Oklahoma provides fewer resources to common education compared to other states, even as we are increasing mandates on school and student performance. We promote policies to adequately fund our education system and advance evidence-based strategies to reach our most at-risk children.

Fair Immigration: A diverse and welcoming community is important to ensure basic human rights and economic prosperity. We promote immigration policies that respect both the U.S. Constitution and the humanity of immigrant families and communities. 

 Smart Criminal Justice: Oklahoma’s criminal justice system is in a crisis. Prisons have grown increasingly costly and overcrowded without any clear pay-off in public safety. OK Policy promotes a smart-on-crime mentality towards criminal justice—one that doesn’t pursue punishment for its own sake, but instead looks for what works to protect public safety in the most cost-effective way. 

Increased Voter Engagement: Electoral participation is a cornerstone of our representative democracy. The vote allows citizens to participate in the political process and ensures that elected officials stay accountable to their constituents. Yet in Oklahoma we are seeing growing signs of the breakdown of electoral participation. OK Policy promotes reforms that would help repair our broken democracy by boosting voter turnout and electoral competition.