Oklahoma’s 28th governor took the oath of office last week, right before giving an inaugural address that echoed many of his campaign promises. But beyond getting a fresh face, Oklahomans want Gov. Kevin Stitt to look at issues that might be outside his agenda. Mary Fallin was Oklahoma’s governor for the past eight years. Much […]
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Posted inArts & Culture
Camille Landry and Oklahoma Policy Institute release a book of essays that shed light on the real struggles of Oklahomans
Landry began writing her essay series in 2013.
Posted inNews
Local groups launches campaign to educate voters
Oklahoma Policy Institute’s Do Something OK campaign educates voters about budget cuts and interacting with lawmakers to encourage change.
Posted inNews
Lawmakers continue work to lessen Oklahoma budget woes
Oklahoma lawmakers try to find solutions to fix the state budget crisis.
Posted inNews
Oklahoma educators create hashtag to raise funds
#GiveItBackOK drives to relieve educators feeling the effects of the state budget crisis.
Posted inNews
Voter participation has declined across the state
Officials find that civically minded millennials have little faith in government as voter participation declines across the state and almost all age groups.
Posted inNews
Health insurance? Fooey!
First, the Republican governor delayed implementing aspects of the ACA, otherwise known as Obamacare, in hopes that it would be rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court. When that plan failed, she and others counted on the election of a Republican president to push its repeal. That plan didn’t work out so well, either. Finally, it’s […]
Posted inNews
A taxing question
Fred Mogran Credit: Shannon Cornman A coalition of business groups headed by the State Chamber of Oklahoma support passage of SQ 766, which is on ballot Tuesday, asserting that its failure could spur a vast expansion of state taxes on items as varied as retirement benefits, professional licenses, hunting leases, and even copyrighted song lyrics […]
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Wait for it
Matt Robison Credit: Mark Hancock Ironically, the need for state development and control was Oklahoma’s rationale for turning down a $54 million Early Innovator Grant in 2011 — the highest federal grant awarded to only seven states viewed as “leading the way on building a better health insurance marketplace.” Yet action on a state-created exchange […]
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Point: Slow down on ODOT funding
One of the few exceptions to the hard times is the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Following a long stretch in which state investment in roads and bridges remained virtually flat, the Legislature in 2005 created the ROADS (Rebuilding Oklahoma Access and Driver Safety) fund. Revenues for this fund come directly from personal income tax collections, […]