Revenue forecast confirms need for continued caution

In late December, the Board of Equalization certified a preliminary estimate of the revenues available for next year’s budget. The numbers confirm that while the worst of the fiscal crisis is now far behind us, the state remains in the… Read more [More...]

State Question 766: Intangible property ballot measure would have tangible consequences

This blog post was authored by Michelle Cantrell, a tax specialist residing in Tulsa One of the six ballot measures facing voters this November is State Question 766, which asks Oklahomans whether the state should have the authority to tax… Read more [More...]

Update: Rainy Day Fund Basics

This is a revised and updated version of a page from OK Policy’s Online Budget Guide authored by Paul Shinn. [UPDATE: A previous version of this post incorrectly said that the maximum amount for the Rainy Day Fund is 15… Read more [More...]

Growing disconnect between budget politics and reality

Last week we reported that next year’s revenues are expected to be 7 percent below their levels of six years ago (FY ’07), even though costs are higher due to inflation, population growth, and increased caseloads Elsewhere, people seem to… Read more [More...]

Revenue forecast confirms need for caution

On Tuesday, the Board of Equalization certified a preliminary estimate of the revenues available for next year’s budget. The numbers confirm that while the worst of the fiscal crisis is over, the state is experiencing a slow, incomplete recovery that… Read more [More...]

Fearlessly forecasting–into the past

Once again, OK Policy is getting in touch with its inner dweeb (as if the outer dweeb wasn’t scary enough) and beginning work to develop new four-year forecasts of revenue and budgets for the state of Oklahoma. We’ve written elsewhere… Read more [More...]

How the Rainy Day formula requires us to make mistakes

Last Monday, State Finance Director Preston Doerflinger announced that the state would be depositing $219 million in the Constitutional Reserve Fund (commonly referred to as the “Rainy Day Fund”) this year. Seen alongside news that lawmakers had to overcome a… Read more [More...]

Oil strikes back

When the Board of Equalization met last week and certified more revenue for the upcoming fiscal year, there was one word on everyone’s mind: Oil. Of the total $106 million increase in the February estimate compared to the Board’s initial… Read more [More...]

The Weekly Wonk – February 21-25, 2011

What’s up this week at Oklahoma Policy Institute? The Weekly Wonk is dedicated to this week’s events, publications, and blog posts. Our series on marriage promotion continued Monday with two perspectives from new staff, Kate Richey and Gene Perry.  The… Read more [More...]

Breaking down the Board of Equalization revenue numbers

The State Board of Equalization met yesterday to certify revised revenue estimates and appropriations authority for the upcoming year’s budget. Not yawning yet? Then do we have a 6-minute video blog post for you! For the full Board of Equalization… Read more [More...]