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The Weekly Wonk is a summary of Oklahoma Policy Institute’s events, publications, blog posts, and coverage. Numbers of the Day and Policy Notes are from our daily news briefing, In The Know. Click here to subscribe to In The Know.
OK Policy’s Executive Director, David Blatt’s Journal Record column explains why the Legislature’s refusal to approve any new bonds is financially irresponsible. KJRH, mentioned OK Policy in their report that despite a recently approved bond issue for Tulsa Public Schools, education funding is still a problem in Oklahoma.
The OK Policy Blog addressed silver linings in the tax cut debate and highlighted social impact bonds, a promising new approach that Oklahoma could use to fund smart on crime reforms. We also discussed a consultant’s report on developing an Oklahoma plan for expanding health coverage, which appears to be moving Oklahoma along a path to accept federal dollars and shared a 3-minute video that sheds light on America’s racial wealth gap.
- 10.0 percent – Percentage of Oklahoma households with a past due mortgage, compared to 10.8 percent nationally
- 11 – The number of payday loans the average borrower takes out over 12 months, ultimately paying $574 in interest on $392 in loans
- $1.4 trillion – Projected GDP growth over 10 years if the U.S. granted resident immigrants legal status and a pathway to citizenship; conversely, mass deportation and ‘zero-immigration’ enforcement policies would decrease GDP by $2.6 trillion over the same period
- 30,000 – The number of Oklahomans, one-third of whom have incomes below the poverty level, who will lose their state-sponsored health coverage if Oklahoma continues to refuse to comply with the Affordable Care Act
- $39,160 – Average annual wage in Oklahoma, 42nd lowest in the U.S. in 2012
Policy Notes
- Jared Bernstein writes in the New York Times that the United States needs a new approach to address a persistent lack of jobs.
- Pro Publica investigates unethical business practices at World Finance, which sells high-interest installment loans in Oklahoma and other states.
- Wonkblog discusses new Congressional Budget Office projections that the U.S. deficit problem is solved for the next 10 years.
- The Atlantic shares two maps that explode one of the biggest myths about student loans.
- The Washington Post reports on the Obama administration’s new draft of regulations for fracking on federal and Indian lands.
