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Members of the Oklahoma House and Senate had their first meeting of the new year Tuesday and immediately received warnings of tough budgetary times ahead. David Blatt’s Journal Record column discussed the paradox that Oklahoma is triggering a tax cut based on revenue growth even as the state faces a $300 million budget shortfall. Sen. Rob Standridge wrote an op-ed defending his bill to prevent lame duck officeholders from creating new staff positions without oversight. The bill was introduced in response to outgoing Superintendent Janet Barresi creating a new position for the husband of one of her top staffers just months before she leaves office.
A new report finds Oklahoma is near the bottom of the list nationally on the quality of education it provides to students. The Enid News & Eagle reported on a new education reform campaign being put forward by a coalition of more than 60 Oklahoma school districts. More information about the campaign can be found at http://forthepeopleok.com. TEEM, an interfaith group dedicated to breaking the cycles of incarceration and poverty in Oklahoma, is partnering with 7-Eleven to offer scholarships that provide housing and transportation to Oklahomans just out of prison.
In a NewsOK Q&A, an attorney discussed implications of a federal court dismissing a lawsuit by a young Oklahoman who was denied a job because she wore a headscarf. The Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations on Wednesday condemned a terrorist attack in Paris that left 12 people dead and several others critically injured.
The Number of the Day is the percentage of the Department of Corrections budget spent on private prisons and contracts in 2013. In today’s Policy Note, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities explains why a proposal from the House GOP to change the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate to provide health care would likely lead to many fewer hours of work for employees and more part-time work — the exact opposite of what the bill’s backers’ rhetoric implies.
In The News
Legislative leaders warn Oklahoma lawmakers tough budget year is coming
Members of the Oklahoma House and Senate had their first meeting of the new year Tuesday and immediately received warnings of tough budgetary times ahead. A dramatic drop in the price of oil is reducing state revenue. Also, some of the nonrecurring funds used last budget cycle may not be available this time around. Finally, a 0.25 percent income tax reduction goes into effect in the middle of the next fiscal year.
Prosperity Policy: Shortfalls and triggers
Last month, state officials certified that revenues will grow enough next year to trigger a cut in the state’s top income tax rate. At the same time, they determined the state will have nearly $300 million less for next year’s budget. How can both those things be true? And what does this tell us about the way we make tax and budget decisions?
Read more from the Journal Record.
Oklahoma lawmaker: Editorial misconstrued purpose of bill
Based on “Hiring proposal carries risk of added bureaucracy” (Our Views, Dec. 25), it seems The Oklahoman has misunderstood my Senate Bill 31. Several constituents expressed concern over state schools Superintendent Janet Barresi making a significant hire to her staff in the waning days of her administration. As the editorial admitted, Barresi’s hiring of the husband of her general counsel smacked of nepotism.
State ranks among worst in education outcomes report
A new report finds Oklahoma is near the bottom of the list nationally on the quality of education it provides to students. Education Week’s “Quality Counts” report card, being released Thursday, ranked Oklahoma’s education system 48th out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The annual report, which changed this year to focus more on educational outcomes, looked at academic achievement, school funding and the chance for success students have when they grow up.
Read more from Oklahoma Watch.
Fairview Public Schools backs education initiative
Fairview Public Schools has joined more than 60 other Oklahoma school districts in a vision for Oklahoma’s children. For the People: A Vision for Oklahoma Public Education, a brainchild of Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration and Oklahoma State School Boards Association, has been in the works for two years and focuses on transforming education, rather than reforming it.
Read more from the Enid News & Eagle.
See also: forthepeopleok.com
7-Eleven stores, TEEM to offer housing, transportation plan
An interfaith group dedicated to breaking the cycles of incarceration and poverty in Oklahoma is now offering a scholarship program to provide housing and transportation to incarcerated persons when they are released from prison. 7-Eleven stores has partnered with the nonprofit organization TEEM to create the program. 7-Eleven provided $100,000 for the initiative, enough to provide assistance to 200 participants this year.
Read more from the Associated Press.
Federal court dismisses case of Oklahoman refused job for wearing headscarf
Q: A federal appeals court dismissed claims by an Oklahoma woman saying she wasn’t hired by Abercrombie & Fitch because her head scarf conflicted with their dress code. What were the legal considerations in this case? A: The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals granted Abercrombie’s motion for summary judgment, which effectively dismissed the woman’s claims because she didn’t tell Abercrombie she needed a religious accommodation to their dress code policy, also called the “Look Policy.” Even though she was wearing a head scarf or hijab in her interview, Abercrombie didn’t know for certain that she was wearing it due to religious beliefs.
CAIR Oklahoma condemns Paris terrorist attack
The Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations on Wednesday condemned a terrorist attack in Paris that left 12 people dead and several others critically injured. Gunmen shouting “God is Great” in Arabic (Allahu Akbar), and “We have avenged the Prophet Muhammad,” fired dozens of rounds into the offices of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, killing the editor, several well-known cartoonists and others, the BBC reported. “I’m sickened and saddened by the news from Paris today,” said Adam Soltani, CAIR-Oklahoma executive director.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Quote of the Day
“This will be a year that requires sacrifice from those who utilize the services that state government was initially intended to provide.”
-Oklahoma House Speaker Jeff Hickman, discussing an impending $300 million budget shortfall caused by falling gas prices, loss of one-time funds, and a tax cut scheduled for next year (Source: http://bit.ly/1DyM0Qn)
Number of the Day
28%
Percentage of the Department of Corrections budget spent on private prisons and contracts in 2013.
Source: Oklahoma Department of Corrections
See previous Numbers of the Day here.
Policy Note
House bill raising health reform threshold to 40 hours would push more workers into part-time
House leaders have scheduled a vote this week to raise the threshold for health reform’s employer mandate from 30 hours of work per week to 40 hours. House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell call the 30-hour threshold “an arbitrary and destructive government barrier to more hours” of work and propose raising it to 40 hours. In reality, as our newly updated paper explains, that step would lead to fewer hours of work for employees and more part-time work — the exact opposite of what their rhetoric about “restoring” the 40-hour work week implies.
Read more from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
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