Can Oklahoma make better budget predictions?

Oklahoma’s state budget was thrown into turmoil this year when much less money came to the General Revenuef fund than was expected. For the full year, General Revenue was 4.8 percent below the estimate; if the shortfall had reached 5… Read more [More...]

The economic case for tax cuts is in shambles

When it comes to the role of taxes and public services in the economy, we too often engage in an ideological debate that changes no one’s mind. One side talks about the importance of investing in schools, roads, and public… Read more [More...]

There’s still no free lunch: Impact of massive tax cuts in Kansas offers a warning to Oklahoma

As Oklahoma considers tax cuts similar to those that took effect in Kansas last year, a new report shows that following in Kansas’s footsteps is a bad idea.  Kansas’s massive tax cuts have failed to improve the state’s economic performance,… Read more [More...]

The mystery of the disappearing revenue

The latest headlines about Oklahoma’s finances seem oddly contradictory. On the one hand, State Treasurer Ken Miller has announced gross revenue collections are hitting an all-time high. Oklahoma’s total collections of $6.64 billion dollars are $278 million higher than the… Read more [More...]

One More Time: Past income tax cuts did not cause Oklahoma revenues to rise

Once again this session, proponents of cuts to Oklahoma’s top income tax rate are arguing that cutting taxes will lead to higher tax revenues, basing their position on the notion that Oklahoma’s tax collections rose after the state cut taxes… Read more [More...]

Watchdogs, code monkeys, and budget hawks: The many species of Gov 2.0

At the recent Gov 2.0a Conference, the tech-savvy and public-minded came together to discuss ways to bring the latest technology into government.  Gov 2.0 is a term you will likely hear again.  It represents a number of intersecting (and sometimes… Read more [More...]

Guest Blog (Michael Lipsky): ‘The public service’ includes state and local workers

From time to time, we use the OK Policy blog to post contributions that offer interesting perspectives on important policy issues for the state. Michael Lipsky is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at Demos, a non-partisan public policy research and advocacy… Read more [More...]

Numbers You Need – May 2009

Numbers You Need is a monthly publication from OK Policy that presents key data on the state’s economy, work force, human services, and budget in one concise, easy-to-read fact sheet. The forecasters may be predicting an economic turnaround ahead, but… Read more [More...]

Numbers You Need – April 2009

Numbers You Need is a monthly publication from OK Policy that presents key data on the state’s economy, work force, human services, and budget in one concise easy-to-read fact sheet. April’s edition of Numbers You Need provides further evidence of… Read more [More...]

Numbers You Need – March 2009

Numbers You Need is a monthly publication from OK Policy that presents key data on the state's economy, work force, human services and budget in one concise easy-to-read fact sheet. [More...]