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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.
General Electric Co. has qualified for up to $17.9 million in state and city job creation incentives to build its new Oil and Gas Technology Center in Oklahoma City. An Oklahoma Watch investigation has previously found that the number of jobs actually created by the state’s biggest job creation incentive were less than half of initial projections touted in press releases, and an OK Policy report identified a lack of oversight and growing cost of the Quality Jobs program. The State Chamber of Oklahoma released its 2015 legislative agenda Monday which addresses a wide range of areas from transportation and energy to health and workforce development. You can read the full legislative agenda here. Governor Mary Fallin wrote that her New Year’s resolutions for the state are to increase educational attainment, reduce incarceration, and improve health outcomes.
On the OK Policy Blog, we examined how state officials managed to trigger another tax cut even as lawmakers are facing a nearly $300 million budget hole. The Tulsa World reported on how the ongoing oil price collapse could be very bad for Oklahoma’s economy. The head of the state Department of Transportation said Monday he hopes to avoid a repeat of the last legislative session during which the agency had to fend off attempts to reduce its funding. NewsOK reported that Oklahoma lags in providing mental health records to an FBI database used to prevent certain people from buying firearms. Gov. Mary Fallin has scheduled elections to fill the unexpired term of state Sen. Jabar Shumate, D-Tulsa.
The Oklahoma State Department of Education has awarded a multi-million dollar contract to the firm Measured Progress to conduct end-of-instruction assessments and science and social studies tests for fifth, seventh and eighth grades. A new report from the National Council on Teacher Quality argues that many Oklahoma teachers are entering the profession insufficiently prepared. You can read the full report here. The okeducationtruths blog showed how Oklahoma’s teacher shortage goes hand in hand with a shortage of pay. Capitol Hill High School’s Native American Parent Committee and Native American Student Services will host a forum to address the district’s recent decision to remove its Redskins mascot.
Some Oklahoma Republican lawmakers disagreed with Attorney General Scott Pruitt’s decision to file suit over Colorado’s legalization of marijuana, saying that the suit undermines states’ rights. The state medical examiner’s office says the death of an inmate last month at the Davis Correctional Facility in Holdenville was due to strangulation. It was the second death by strangulation at the private prison just in the last 4 months. With water levels in the lake that is the City of Duncan’s only water source continuing to drop. the city is banning all outdoor watering beginning next week. The Number of the Day is the percentage of incarcerated women in Oklahoma who are in prison for non-violent offenses. In today’s Policy Note, Ezra Klein discusses how red states are using Obamacare to rip themselves off.
In The News
GE qualifies for millions in job creation incentives from Oklahoma
General Electric Co. has qualified for up to $13.9 million in state job creation incentives for creating as many as 230 new jobs over the next 10 years at its new $125 million oil and gas research center in Oklahoma City. In total, GE has qualified to reap up to $17.9 million in state and city job creation incentives to build its new Oil and Gas Technology Center in Oklahoma City. On top of the state incentives, Oklahoma City has agreed to give GE $1 million in general obligation, limited-tax bond funds to help GE build its new 95,000-square-foot oil and gas research laboratory at NE 10 and Central.
Previously: As State Jobs Program Grows, Results Fall Short of Promises from Oklahoma Watch; Issue brief examines one of the largest business subsidies in Oklahoma from Oklahoma Policy Institute.
State Chamber Of Oklahoma Releases 2015 Legislative Agenda
The State Chamber of Oklahoma released its 2015 legislative agenda Monday which addresses a wide range of areas from transportation and energy to health and workforce development. “Two of the most common concerns we hear from our members are finding employees with the skills needed for the jobs available and dealing with an ever-increasing regulatory burden,” State Chamber President and Chief Executive Officer Fred Morgan. “Our Legislative Agenda tackles those issues and others that our members feel will make the state more competitive both nationally and worldwide.”
Read the legislative agenda here.
Governor Fallin’s resolutions for 2015
The New Year has started, which means it’s time for our New Year’s resolutions! My goal as governor has always been simple: to raise the standard of living in Oklahoma by creating more and better jobs. We’ve been largely successful, as Oklahoma’s unemployment rate has continued to fall and per capita income growth has risen at a rate of fifteen percent, the second highest in the nation. That doesn’t mean we can’t do better, however. In fact, I believe there are three big areas that we need to improve for our state to continue its remarkable forward momentum.
Read more from OK Energy Today.
Tax cut trigger shoots Oklahoma deeper into hole
Last month, the Board of Equalization certified that revenues will grow enough next year to trigger a cut in the state’s top income tax rate. At the same time, the Board determined that the state will have nearly $300 million less available revenue for next year’s budget. How can both these things be true?
Read more from the OK Policy Blog.
Oil prices: Great for drivers, ‘very bad’ for Tulsa’s economy
The ongoing oil price collapse continues to make drivers happy and drive oil producers into tight corners. Trading for U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude dipped below $50 for a time Monday and settled at $50.04 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Domestic oil prices have not been this low since April 2009.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
ODOT fears attempt to cut funding for road, bridge repairs
The head of the state Department of Transportation said Monday he hopes to avoid a repeat of the last legislative session during which the agency had to fend off attempts to reduce its funding. A committee substitute to a bill that passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee last year would have taken half the annual $59.7 million in funding that ODOT had been receiving each year for roads and bridges and redirected it to common education. The bill never became law, but that hasn’t meant the agency has been relaxing as the start of the new legislative session looms in February, ODOT Executive Director Mike Patterson said Monday.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Oklahoma is slow to release mental health records to FBI to prevent gun sales to dangerous people
Oklahoma lags in providing mental health records to an FBI database used to prevent certain people from buying firearms. The state Legislature passed a law earlier this year requiring court clerks to submit the records to both the FBI and Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation; it goes into effect July 1.
Fallin sets dates for Tulsa Senate district election
Gov. Mary Fallin has scheduled elections to fill the unexpired term of state Sen. Jabar Shumate, D-Tulsa. Shumate announced in late December that he would resign from the Senate effective Tuesday to pursue other opportunities. He represents District 11. Fallin scheduled the filing period on Monday for Jan. 19-21.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
New student testing vendor announced
The Oklahoma State Department of Education has released the name of the new testing vendor that board members approved in a blind vote last month. Measured Progress, the same company that was awarded a $3.4 million contract earlier this year for statewide winter testing, was also awarded the contracts for end-of-instruction assessments and science and social studies tests for fifth, seventh and eighth grades.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Report highlights Oklahoma’s teacher challenges
Officials have warned that Oklahoma faces a teacher shortage since many schools struggle to fill all positions with qualified individuals. Now a report from the National Council on Teacher Quality highlights another problem: Many Oklahoma teachers are entering the profession insufficiently prepared. In its 2014 State Teacher Policy Yearbook, the council “casts a critical eye” on whether state requirements for teacher preparation and licensure ensure educators are ready to teach to college- and career-readiness standards.
Read the full report here from the National Council on Teacher Quality.
Shortage of teachers, shortage of pay
It all goes hand-in-hand. Yesterday on social media, a Washington Post article on state-by-state teacher pay made the rounds again, so I went ahead and retweeted it. The image illustrating differences among the states is particularly interesting. As you can see, 45 years ago, Oklahoma teachers made 79.8% what teachers around the nation made. Two years ago, our state’s teachers made 79.7% what teachers around the country made. Basically, we have a long-standing tradition of paying about 4/5 of what teachers make nationally.
Read more from okeducationtruths.
Forum to address mascot change at Capitol Hill High School in Oklahoma City
It’s been nearly a month since Oklahoma City school district board members voted unanimously to remove the Redskins mascot at Capitol Hill High School. But the panel’s Dec. 8 decision to change 88 years of tradition remains a hot topic, particularly among students, alumni and others angered or surprised by the change. The district’s Native American Parent Committee and Native American Student Services will host a forum to address the issue from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday inside the auditorium of the Oklahoma City Public Schools administration building, 900 N Klein.
Some state lawmakers oppose Pruitt’s lawsuit over pot
Some Oklahoma lawmakers disagree with Attorney General Scott Pruitt’s decision to file suit over Colorado’s legalization of marijuana. Rep. Mike Ritze, R-Broken Arrow, said the lawsuit filed last month by Pruitt and Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning undermines states’ rights.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Second Death At Private Prison In Six Months Ruled A Homicide
The state medical examiner’s office says the death of an inmate last month at the Davis Correctional Facility in Holdenville was due to strangulation. Office spokeswoman Amy Elliott says the Dec. 2 death of 28-year-old Eric Grimm has been ruled a homicide. It’s the second strangulation at the private prison, following that of 22-year-old Tony Czernicki who was found strangled in his cell in October.
Duncan Bans All Outdoor Watering as Waurika Lake Levels Continue to Fall
The drought in southwest Oklahoma has lingered for more than four years now, and it will take more than a wet end to 2014 to stop it — a lot more.Despite receiving above average December precipitation, the City of Duncan will ban all outdoor watering beginning next week. That’s because water levels in Waurika Lake, Duncan’s only current drinking water source, continue to drop.
Quote of the Day
“The sad truth is many of our inmates are non-violent offenders with substance abuse problems or mental health issues. They don’t need to spend long stints at the state penitentiary, where they can join gangs and acquire criminal networks. They need treatment; they need supervision; and they need to be returned to their communities ready to safely support themselves and their families. “
-Governor Mary Fallin, who said one of her New Year’s resolutions this year is to reduce Oklahoma’s very high incarceration rate (Source: http://bit.ly/1AAuYBF)
Number of the Day
77%
Percentage of incarcerated women in Oklahoma who are in prison for non-violent offenses.
Source: Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
See previous Numbers of the Day here.
Policy Note
Red states are using Obamacare to rip themselves off
For a bill that passed without a single Republican vote, Obamacare sure treats red states well. The law takes more money from blue states than from red states and it spends more money in red states than in blue states. It is, as Alec MacGillis wrote in the Washington Post at the time, “a rare triumph of principle over parochialism.” But before you think Democrats the only ones capable of putting principle before party, consider what has happened since the law’s passage. Republicans have been busily remaking Obamacare into a subsidy from red states to blue ones.
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