Topic: Budget Process

Policy Matters: Steps to improve budget transparency next session

This legislative session, lawmakers placed great emphasis on budget transparency. It’s been revealing to watch the process unfold, but there are steps lawmakers can take to build on this progress for next year. Throughout May, legislative leaders and the governor… Read more [More...]

Effective democracy requires more transparency in Oklahoma state government

Oklahoma’s government is one of the least transparent in the nation. In contrast to other states, the general public is largely left out of the budget process and deprived of basic expectations of government such as public debate. Unfortunately, that… Read more [More...]

Budget includes a few long-awaited investments, but misses crucial opportunities

This year, Oklahoma lawmakers appropriated $10.68 billion to the state budget for Fiscal Year 2023, which begins on July 1, 2022. The FY 23 state budget includes some long-awaited investments in areas like access to mental health care and reducing the 13-year wait for services for individuals with developmental disabilities. [More...]

OK Policy statement on legislature’s FY23 appropriations bills

The budget bills approved today by lawmakers — and now forwarded to the governor for consideration — reflect some good investments in Oklahoma, especially for youth and their families involved in the justice system and the hundreds of Oklahomans with intellectual and developmental disabilities who currently face a 13-year wait for services.  [More...]

Lawmakers voted down a corporate income tax cut this spring. Leadership should leave it out of the budget.

NOTE: Policy Fellow Josie Phillips contributed to this analysis Cutting the corporate income tax — which was proposed in the failed House Bill 4358 — overwhelmingly benefits wealthy and out-of-state corporations over everyday Oklahomans and locally owned businesses. The Senate… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma among least transparent states for state budget process, new OK Policy report shows

A new report from the Oklahoma Policy Institute shows that Oklahoma is among the nation’s least transparent states when engaging its residents during the development of the annual state budget.  OK Policy’s new “Focus on Transparency” report serves as a… Read more [More...]