Articles
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Budget & Tax, Law & Principles
Tribal plates allow drivers to evade Oklahoma tolls
Tribal car tags are creating public-safety problems and financial challenges for the state. To make up for drivers not paying tolls, says one Oklahoma Turnpike Authority official, “we have to charge everybody else a little bit more.”Ray Carter | July 25, 2023
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Budget & Tax
What Oklahoma policymakers can learn from the Thunder
Oklahoma’s political leaders could learn something from the Thunder. Instead of trying to lure specific companies with large government subsidies, the state should enact pro-growth policies that help businesses and families grow from the ground up.Curtis Shelton | July 21, 2023
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Budget & Tax
Oklahoma needs to get moving on tax cuts
Oklahoma needs to move quickly if it wants to reap the benefits of being an early mover on tax reform. Oklahoma has long been a relatively low-tax state, but the recent reluctance to continue the reduction in the state’s income tax may result in other states passing us by.Curtis Shelton | June 29, 2023
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Budget & Tax, Law & Principles
Even without compacts, state will collect taxes
Some believe that all the revenue being collected through tribal compacts would disappear if the tobacco compacts expired. That is not correct. Even without compacts, the state will collect taxes.Jonathan Small, Curtis Shelton & Ryan Haynie | June 23, 2023
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Budget & Tax, Culture & the Family
After Oklahoma veto override, Sesame Street touts transgenderism
Within a week of Oklahoma lawmakers’ overriding Gov. Kevin Stitt’s veto of OETA reauthorization, Sesame Street was touting transgenderism to children.Ray Carter | June 20, 2023
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Budget & Tax
Tribal gaming revenue is in the billions
Tribal gaming monopoly brings in billions each year.Curtis Shelton | June 20, 2023
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Budget & Tax
State land trust costing schools millions, report says
The current land trust system in Oklahoma, which was intended to generate revenue for state schools, is actually causing them to lose millions of dollars. According to a report by the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency, if the state sold the land held in trust by the Commissioners of the Land Office and invested the revenue, state schools could receive up to an additional $53 million per year.Ray Carter | June 15, 2023
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Budget & Tax
Oklahoma tribes made bank during COVID
Oklahoma tribes received significantly more federal relief per capita compared to the State of Oklahoma.Curtis Shelton | June 14, 2023
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Budget & Tax
Indian ruling could hit the state treasury
A case before the Oklahoma Supreme Court could have major revenue implications for state government.Curtis Shelton | June 12, 2023
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Budget & Tax, Education
Will education funding produce results?
Today, no one can credibly argue poor outcomes in Oklahoma schools are due to underfunding.Jonathan Small | May 31, 2023