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What’s up this week at Oklahoma Policy Institute? The Weekly Wonk shares our most recent publications and other resources to help you stay informed about Oklahoma. Numbers of the Day and Policy Notes are from our daily news briefing, In The Know. Click here to subscribe to In The Know.
This Week from OK Policy
SQ 847 Explained (video): Oklahoma voters will go to the polls on Nov. 3 to decide State Question 847 that would lower Oklahoma’s assessment caps for property taxes beginning in 2027. In this explainer video, OK Policy’s Aanahita Irani Ervin breaks down what it means for property taxes and local services in Oklahoma. [Aanahita Irani Irvin / YouTube]
Goal-focused approach to evaluating Tax Increment Financing projects (Guest Article): Tax increment financing districts, often called TIF districts, might seem like something only city planners, developers, or accountants need to understand. But communities across the country use TIFs to fund capital projects, and these decisions can shape how public resources are used for many years. Simply put, a TIF district is a designated area where the increase in revenue from property taxes — and sometimes sales taxes — from new developments is used to fund improvements and redevelopment within that area. In Oklahoma, TIF districts can last up to 25 years, meaning decisions made today can influence how future tax growth is used for a generation. [Guest Article / Stephen Ellis & Cynthia Rogers]
Policy Matters: Good government doesn’t make headlines: Election campaigns are filled with bold promises to fix problems, get rid of what people dislike, and shake things up, because it helps candidates stand out. Candidates make ambitious claims to win our attention — and our votes. But while campaigns too often reward the loudest promises, effective governing depends on the quieter work of making things run smoothly. [Shiloh Kantz / The Journal Record]
Oklahoma lawmakers examine child safety and community violence in three interim studies (Capitol Update): Three separate interim studies last week highlighted cultural violence or the way we deal with it. The House Criminal Judiciary Committee conducted an interim study on “child-sensitive arrest policies and practices in Oklahoma.” A second study in the House Criminal Judiciary Committee was presented by Rep. Sam Wargin Grimaldo, D-Oklahoma City, and focused on combatting community violence through intervention programs. A study in the Senate Judiciary Committee requested by Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, examined current “supervised visitation” practices in Oklahoma. [Steve Lewis / Capitol Update]
OK Policy in the News
OK Policy Institute to host town hall on Oklahoma state questions: The Oklahoma Policy Institute will host a free town hall Oct. 20 covering State Questions 845 and 847, which will appear on Oklahoma‘s Nov. 3 statewide ballot. [The Journal Record]
Opinion: The problem with Oklahoma’s property tax ‘fixes’ : Oklahoma‘s statehouse leadership can’t take no for an answer. In late August, voters overwhelming rejected a legislative scheme to seize more control over property taxes, which just so happen to fund vital services like schools, public safety and county governments. And yet, Senate President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton says he’s open to Republican gubernatorial nominee Mike Mazzei‘s plan to eliminate homestead property taxes for seniors and veterans. [Arnold Hamilton / The Journal Record]
- From OK Policy: SQ 847 Fact Sheet | SQ 847 Explainer Video
Upcoming Opportunities
Now Hiring, Southeast Regional Organizer: Our Regional Organizers support OK Policy in the development and implementation of community-based advocacy actions that further policy goals identified by OK Policy. This position works as part of OK Policy’s grassroots advocacy arm Together Oklahoma (TOK) to engage communities and affinity groups. The Regional Organizer works under the leadership and guidance of, and reports directly to, the Outreach Director. The Southeast Regional Organizer must live and work in the Southeast Region, consisting of the following counties: McCurtain, Choctaw, Pushmataha, LeFlore, Haskell, Latimer, Pittsburgh, Hughes, Cole, Atoka, Bryan, Marshall, Love, Carter, Johnston, Murray, Garvin, Pontotoc, McClain. A full job description and online application are available at OKPolicy.org/jobs. The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m., Sunday, October 18.
Join us for Voices in Action — Turning community conversations into statewide change: This summer, we hosted listening sessions in towns and cities across the state to provide an opportunity for the public to have conversations with our fellow Oklahomans about issues that matter most in their communities. This October, we’re coming back to share what we heard in those communities and statewide, and to discuss ways we can use our collective power to make a difference on those issues. [Register now for an event in your community]
Know what’s on your ballot before you vote | SQ 845 & SQ 847 Town Hall: OK Policy will be hosting a town hall on SQ 845 and SQ 847 on Tuesday, Oct. 20 in Oklahoma City. The event will also be livestreamed on OK Policy’s YouTube channel. [Learn more and register for the in-person event]
Upcoming Webinar: Youth Justice System 101 and Its Impact: Want to better understand how Oklahoma’s youth justice system works — and how it impacts young people, families, and communities? Join us online Oct. 8 from 10:30 a.m. to noon for Youth Justice System 101 and Its Impact. The free webinar will provide an overview of Oklahoma’s youth justice system, followed by a panel discussion featuring experts who will share insights from a range of perspectives. [Register now]
Weekly What’s That
A legislative referendum is the mechanism by which the Oklahoma Legislature can submit a constitutional amendment or statutory change to a vote of the people. A legislative referendum is one of two ways to place a State Question on the ballot in Oklahoma, the other being an initiative petition. A legislatively-initiated ballot measure must take the form of a Joint Resolution and be approved by a simple majority vote in both chambers. It does not require the Governor’s approval.
Once received by the Secretary of State, each legislative referendum is designated a State Question number and a Legislative Referendum number. Copies are delivered to the Governor and State Election Board to issue the Election Proclamation and place the measure on the ballot for a vote of the people at the time of the next general election. The Attorney General has the responsibility to review the measure’s ballot title and may rewrite the ballot title if s/he determines that the title proposed in the legislation does not meet requirements.
Between 1990 and 2024, there were 80 legislative referendums, of which all but seven were constitutional amendments. There were two legislative referendums on the ballot in 2020 but none in 2022 – the first time that voters have not been called on to decide a legislative referendum on a general election ballot since 1970. In 2024, voters split on two legislative referenda, rejecting SQ 833 that would have created public infrastructure districts, while approving SQ 834 that specified that only U.S. citizens are eligible to vote.
Look up more key terms to understand Oklahoma politics and government here.
Quote of the Week
“A school budget is more than a spending plan. It is a statement about the promise a community is prepared to keep to its children.”
– Dr. Renee Beauregard-Bennett, New Hampshire public school administrator and parent, writing about what school budgets mean for students and communities. [The Oklahoman]
Editorial of the Week
Editorial: Oklahoman recommends ‘no’ votes on SQ 845, SQ 847. Here’s why.
Two state questions will appear on Oklahoma’s general election ballot Nov. 3.
Each, if approved by a simple majority vote, would change provisions of the Oklahoma Constitution.
State Question 845 would basically rewrite the rules for Oklahoma’s 15-member Judicial Nominating Committee. That’s the group that reviews applicants for the state Supreme Court and the courts of Criminal Appeals and the Civil Appeals and sends the governor three finalists to choose from.
State Question 847 would tighten the constitution’s limits on how much a property’s taxable value could increase from year to year, starting in 2027. It also would replace the current senior property valuation freeze with an income-based sliding scale.
The Oklahoman’s editorial board, based on its own reading of the questions on the ballot and considering the arguments of proponents and opponents of the measures, recommends that you vote “No” on both of them.
Numbers of the Day
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25.5% – Among voter-eligible citizens aged 18-29 nationwide, only about 1 in 4 (25.5%) voted in the 2022 midterm elections. Voter turnout rates increase with age, with voters over 60 having the highest turnout rate at 63.5% in that election. [UF Election Lab]
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19.5% – Only 19.5% of Oklahoma counties met the recommended threshold of 50 full-time behavioral health providers per 100,000 residents. [Healthy Minds Policy Initiative]
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11.5% – The percent of Oklahoma residents who lack health insurance, which is the nation’s third highest rate. [NiceRx]
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$17.72 – The daily reimbursement Oklahoma provides foster families caring for a child age 5 or younger. Current rates increase only slightly with age — to $20.42 per day for children ages 6–12 and $22.62 per day for youth 13 and older. These reimbursements are intended to help cover costs like food, clothing, shelter, school supplies, and other everyday needs, but have not kept pace with inflation and are increasingly insufficient to cover the actual costs of caring for a child. [Oklahoma Human Services]
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~$1.7 billion – The additional amount Oklahoma would need to spend per year to bring its per-student public school spending in line with the regional average. Oklahoma spends about $12,519 per student, compared with an average of $14,975 among surrounding states — a gap of nearly $2,500 for every student. [National Center for Education Statistics]
What We’re Reading
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Five False Election Rumors to Watch For: With the midterm elections approaching, political leaders will almost certainly use false information to try to influence voter behavior. The good news is that those seeking to undermine elections with false conspiracy theories tend to return to the same set of tropes. Voters can prepare now by familiarizing themselves with recurring themes in false election information and learning the facts. [Brennan Center for Justice]
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Policy Snapshot: Behavioral Health Workforce Shortages and State Resource Systems: As the prevalence of behavioral health conditions increases, so does the need for behavioral health care professionals. However, large caseloads, burnout and confusing or costly credentialing processes all contribute to a critical shortage of providers. Policy options to address the shortage include collecting data to better understand workforce gaps, using available resources such as the National Suicide Hotline and peer support specialists, removing barriers to entering behavioral health-related professions, and licensure restructures. [National Conference of State Legislatures]
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The Uninsured Population and Health Coverage: The U.S. coverage system has evolved over the years, most recently with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which aimed to reduce the uninsured rate by expanding Medicaid, creating health insurance Marketplaces for individuals, and providing subsidies to make the coverage more affordable. Many factors, including economic conditions, federal and state policy changes, and significant health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, influence the uninsured rate. The ACA and policy changes designed to protect coverage during the pandemic led to increased health coverage overall; however, passage of the 2025 Federal Budget Reconciliation Bill (referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) along with other policy changes are expected to increase significantly the number of people who are uninsured over the next ten years. [KFF]
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Foster Care: Understanding the Basics: In the United States, more than 400,000 children are in foster care on a given day. The most vulnerable children, those who are abused and neglected in society, are most typically the ones falling through the cracks of a broken foster care system. While the goal of the child welfare system should be clear — placing children in the most safe and nurturing environments possible — the pathways and policies in place to do just that are often ineffective, unsuccessful, or inconsistent. This Brief takes a closer look at the foster care system, key legislation, proposed reforms, and how children, youth, and young adults are impacted. [The Policy Circle]
- How Money Matters: Education Funding and Student Outcomes: A large and growing body of evidence shows that money, when spent equitably and effectively on key school resources, improves student outcomes and closes achievement and opportunity gaps. Research consistently shows that when more money is spent on education, especially for students from low-income families, achievement and graduation rates improve, along with life outcomes such as employment and wages. [Learning Policy Institute]
