State of flux

The function and makeup of the State Board of Education are in question as the body grapples with future budget woes.

News
Clifton Adcock
Next year’s education budget could see a greater funding cut than the 2.9 percent reduction laid out in Gov. Mary Fallin’s budget because of federal funds running dry, Oklahoma State Board of Education members were told at its Feb. 24 meeting.

 

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

For art’s sake

A new nonprofit seeks to educate Oklahomans on the importance of art.

News
Ryan Querbach
Amid proposed budget cuts to state art funding, three arts leaders have established the first nonprofit to formally advocate for public funding of the arts.

 

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Chipping in

OKC leaders contribute $9 million toward the partially constructed American Indian Cultural Center & Museum.

News
Clifton Adcock
The Oklahoma City Council pledged to chip in the remaining $9 million required to get matching state funds for the completion of the American Indian Cultural Center & Museum.

 

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Caged heat

Funding for the OKC Zoo draws scrutiny from a city councilman.

News
Clifton Adcock
When Ward 2 Councilman Ed Shadid began talking about a re-examination of the city’s dedicated sales taxes during a City Council meeting last month, little did he know he was grabbing a tiger by the tail.

 

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Term of art

City government launches a new office to serve as an arts and cultural liaison.

News
Clifton Adcock
The city of Oklahoma City has created a new arts and cultural affairs liaison to help coordinate public art projects.

 

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Counterpoint: Roads funding is critical

Commentary
Neal McCaleb
In 2005, when Oklahoma’s highways and bridges were literally crumbling, Oklahomans spoke loudly by soundly defeating State Question 723, a proposal which would have raised the fuel tax to 22 cents per gallon. The lesson learned was that in order to provide safe and cost-effective highways and bridges, the decades-long practice of systematically diverting transportation-generated revenues to other areas of government had to end, and infrastructure had to become a core priority.

 

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Point: Slow down on ODOT funding

Commentary
David Blatt
The past four years have put severe constraints on the state budget. Many state agencies have absorbed funding cuts of more than 20 percent, and most have been forced to cut staff while eliminating programs and services.

 

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

At what price?

Some fear that Oklahoma schools are not just broke, but broken.

News
Peter Wright
Only two states cut per-pupil spending more than Oklahoma in the last five years, according to a recent think-tank report. While it appears nearly impossible to determine what funding is adequate for education, it is inarguable that funding for public schools in Oklahoma has decreased. With an eye on unpredictable state and federal budgets, education leaders are talking about the need for more money.

 

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

A taxing question

Would passage of SQ 766 be a tax cut or a tax hike? Depends on who you ask.

News
C.G. Niebank
Those on both sides of State Question 766, which would limit taxes on intangible property such as software applications, say its fate could have dire consequences statewide.

 

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Take shelter

A substantial funding cut looms for a Cleveland County youth shelter.

News
Carol Cole-Frowe
Proposed elimination of Cleveland County funding to the area’s emergency youth shelter has the facility’s administration and supporters scrambling to figure out how to keep it open and what other services will have to be reduced.

 

Wednesday, May 8, 2013