Topic: Budget & Tax

State of the State Analysis: Gov. Fallin is playing catch-up

By: Gene Perry
February 8, 2012 // Updated: May 2, 2019
In her State of the State address, Governor Fallin laid out numerous areas where Oklahoma needs to invest to fix serious problems. She mentioned the shortage of troopers on the highways, the millions still owed to local governments to reimburse… Read more [More...]

STATEMENT: Governor Fallin's plan to end income tax would bust huge hole in the state budget

By: Gene Perry
February 6, 2012 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Oklahoma Policy Institute Director David Blatt released a statement today in response to Governor Fallin’s plan for an immediate tax cut and ultimate elimination of the state income tax: Governor Fallin’s plan would bust a huge and permanent hole in… Read more [More...]

The buck stops anywhere but here

By: David Blatt
January 30, 2012 // Updated: May 1, 2019
Last week I participated in a StateImpact Oklahoma forum on the state budget with Rep. Earl Sears, the Chair of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee (R-Bartlesville),  and Sen. Tom Adelson (D-Tulsa).  An audience member asked the legislators what they… Read more [More...]

What the coming federal budget cuts could mean for Oklahoma

By: Gene Perry
January 24, 2012 // Updated: May 1, 2019
Election news may soak up a lot of the attention this year, but we shouldn’t lose sight of the major policy changes set to go into effect no matter who wins in November. High among those are the automatic budget… Read more [More...]

Why the Laffer proposal is like an ice cream diet

By: Gene Perry
January 18, 2012 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Some Oklahoma politicians have trumpeted a report by economist Arthur Laffer to claim that eliminating the state income tax will fuel an economic boom. Laffer is best known for the Laffer Curve, which he famously sketched on a napkin while… Read more [More...]

Who are the real losers in the tax shift plan? It's not "special interests"

By: Gene Perry
January 16, 2012 // Updated: May 2, 2019
[UPDATE: A previous version of the graph left out the Child Tax Credit from the list of broad-based credits that make up the 68 percent.] In a recent interview with KWGS, tax reform task force co-chair Senator Mike Mazzei argued:… Read more [More...]

Task force proposal would raise taxes on most Oklahomans, especially harm seniors and families with children

By: Gene Perry
January 11, 2012 // Updated: May 2, 2019
A proposal by the legislature’s tax reform task force would raise taxes for most Oklahomans, with the worst impact on low-income seniors and families with children, according to a new fact sheet from the Oklahoma Policy Institute. The task force… Read more [More...]

The Tax Shift: Income tax proposal would hike taxes for most Oklahomans

By: Oklahoma Policy Institute
January 10, 2012 // Updated: May 2, 2019
A new fact sheet released today by the Oklahoma Policy Institute shows that the legislature’s tax reform task force proposal would raise taxes for 55 percent of Oklahomans. Low-income seniors and families with children would be especially harmed by the… Read more [More...]

Task Force proposes tax hike on poor and middle class to benefit the wealthiest

By: Gene Perry
December 30, 2011 // Updated: May 2, 2019
This afternoon, the Senate Task Force on Comprehensive Tax Reform released its final report. The most significant recommendation is to make further cuts to the top rate and replace that revenue by ending numerous tax credits. Almost two-thirds of the… Read more [More...]

Growing disconnect between budget politics and reality

By: Paul Shinn
December 29, 2011 // Updated: May 1, 2019
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...]