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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 Tulsa voters re-elected Mayor Dewey Bartlett and approved sales and property tax increases to fund the largest capital improvements package in Tulsa history. State general revenue fund collections improved slightly in October, but year-to-date collections still remain below this time last year. Oklahoma Policy Institute released updated CountySTATS fact sheets, a powerful tool for learning about your county and the quality of life of its residents.
A new law allows law enforcement officers to seize license plates from uninsured vehicles and assign temporary insurance. The Oklahoma City Council approved state and federal legislative priorities including a measure to allow the city to keep more sales tax revenue, an increase in public transit funding, completion of the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum, and the federal Marketplace Fairness Act to allow sales taxes on more online purchases.
The U.S. Supreme Court refused to revive an Oklahoma abortion law that would have required doctors to first perform an ultrasound, show it to the woman and describe what the image depicts. Kristin David writes in the OK Gazette that many incarcerated women in Oklahoma need help escaping abuse, not prison time.
The Number of the Day is the decrease in Oklahoma General Revenue collections compared to this time last year. In today’s Policy Note, PBS Frontline reports on a new study of childhood homelessness. The report shows that in Oklahoma, childhood homeless increased 22 percent from 2010 to 2011, and Oklahoma had more than 21,000 homeless preK-12 students.
In The News
Tulsans reelect Mayor Bartlett, approve tax and spending package
Tulsans on Tuesday re-elected Mayor Dewey Bartlett with 55 percent of the vote to challenge Kathy Taylor’s 45. Also Tuesday, the largest capital improvements package in Tulsa history passed by a wide margin. With nearly 60 percent of the precincts reporting, the $918.7 million capital improvement proposals known as Improve Our Tulsa have both received more than two-thirds yes votes. Election officials said voter turnout was about 20 percent.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Oklahoma state revenue slightly improves in October
State general revenue fund collections improved slightly in October, despite the 16-day federal government shutdown that caused many federal workers in Oklahoma to be temporarily furloughed. General revenue fund collections for October totaled $448.3 million, which was $9.4 million or 2.1 percent above October collections last year, but $285,835 or 0.1 percent below the official projection. Collections for the first four months of this fiscal year continue to trail collections from a year ago.
Oklahoma CountySTATS 2013: New county-level fact sheets
Oklahoma Policy Institute has updated a powerful tool for learning about your county and the quality of life of its residents. CountySTATS 2013 displays summary data and statistics for each of the state’s 77 counties with a two page fact-sheet that displays key local summary statistics at-a-glance, prioritizes your county’s most important indicators, simplifies complicated information with colorful graphics, and enables quick county comparisons along a range of social, economic, and demographic indicators.
Read more from the OK Policy Blog.
New Oklahoma law allows seizures of uninsured drivers’ license plates
In an ongoing effort to curb the number of uninsured motorists on Oklahoma roads, law enforcement officers can now seize license plates from uninsured vehicles and assign temporary insurance. The changes went into effect Nov. 1 under a new state law, but the Insurance Department said agencies won’t begin enforcing them until January as procedures are established.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
OKC Council approves legislative priorities
The Oklahoma City Council’s state and federal legislative agendas were approved at the Nov. 5 council meeting. Priorities identified by the council were a bill to reduce the fee cities, towns and counties pay to the Oklahoma Tax Commission to collect sales taxes, an increase in public transit funding, and the completion of the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum, and the federal Marketplace Fairness Act to allow sales taxes on more online purchases.
Read more from the OK Gazette.
Oklahoma rejected by Supreme Court on ultrasound abortion law
The U.S. Supreme Court refused to revive an Oklahoma abortion law that would have required doctors to first perform an ultrasound, show it to the woman and describe what the image depicts. Rejecting an appeal by state officials, the justices left intact an Oklahoma Supreme Court decision that invalidated the law as placing an unconstitutional burden on abortion rights. The rebuff marks the second time this month that the high court has declined to reinstate Oklahoma abortion regulations.
Read more from Bloomberg News.
Women need help, not prison
It is no secret that Oklahoma not only incarcerates women at the nation’s highest rate per capita but does so at a rate nearly twice the national average. The “why” behind the statistic is also no secret, although at first glance, it may seem difficult to pin down. Many factors contribute to the high female incarceration rate. However, the root cause is one that makes for uncomfortable conversation: the fact that women and girls in our state are not treated well. Oklahoma has an inordinate number of girls who suffer abuse and other forms of trauma in childhood and then carry the symptoms of trauma into adulthood.
Read more from the OK Gazette.
Quote of the Day
I have heard people comment that incarcerated women are simply bad and deserve prison time. What the general public may not realize is that the typical woman behind bars is nonviolent and has been assessed with a need for substance abuse treatment. Many women in prison are mothers. At one time, they were girls, mostly victims of abuse, without access to resources that would help them recover.
-Kristin Davis, executive director of Oklahoma Women’s Coalition (Source: http://bit.ly/1ape7Un)
Number of the Day
$44.7 million
Decrease in Oklahoma General Revenue collections compared to this time last year, a drop of 2.5 percent.
Source: Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services
See previous Numbers of the Day here.
Policy Note
Map: Where is child homelessness getting worse?
The number of homeless students in the United States reached a record high last year, according to new data from the Education Department showing that 1.2 million children had no place to call home. The troubling new report casts light on a problem that four years into the nation’s economic recovery, has only grown worse. The total number of homeless children enrolled in preschools and K-12 programs rose 10 percent during the 2011-12 school year and 24 percent since the beginning of the 2009-10 academic year, according to the report.
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Why the huge drop in corporate income taxes?
WL Hodges