Articles
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Budget & Tax
Senate approves rollback of Fallin-era tax hike
The Oklahoma Senate has voted to repeal one of the many tax increases imposed by the GOP Legislature during the administration of former Gov. Mary Fallin, tacitly conceding that prior tax increases are now contributing to the inflationary stresses harming working families statewide.Ray Carter | May 19, 2022
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Budget & Tax, Education
Record school spending decried as insufficient
The state budget announced by Oklahoma legislative leaders this week includes record funding for public schools without enactment of any reforms that would empower parents and increase school choice opportunities.Ray Carter | May 18, 2022
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Budget & Tax
Defined-contribution plans protect taxpayers
Defined-benefit retirement plans have been losing favor in the private sector for decades.Curtis Shelton | May 4, 2022
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Budget & Tax, Education
School spending surge brings complaints, not improvement
Education spending and teacher pay are up dramatically, but so far Oklahomans are simply paying more for less.Ray Carter | May 4, 2022
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Budget & Tax, Culture & the Family
An evaluation of LOFT’s report on Oklahoma’s state parks
LOFT’s report is a solid piece of work, but some key insights are missed or the report fails to stress them, and some of its recommendations are impractical or lack focus.Byron Schlomach, Ph.D. | April 22, 2022
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Budget & Tax, Law & Principles
Senate analysis refutes House member claims on pension bill
Legislation that would increase the state employer match for government workers’ retirement contributions has won approval in the Senate Appropriations Committee and now awaits a vote from the full Senate.Ray Carter | April 14, 2022
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Budget & Tax
Why defined-contribution retirement plans are preferable to defined-benefit plans
Oklahoma’s DC system creates a more stable system that retirees can rely on while providing financial responsibility for taxpayers who fund the system.Curtis Shelton | April 14, 2022
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Budget & Tax, Law & Principles
Senate rejects House effort to pad lawmakers’ retirement
Members of the Oklahoma Senate have rejected legislation, advanced from the Oklahoma House of Representatives, that would have padded many legislators’ own retirement benefits.Ray Carter | April 11, 2022
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Budget & Tax, Law & Principles
OCPA praises Senators for rejecting retirement scheme
Members of the Senate took a strong stand against legislative self-dealing today by rejecting a House effort to quietly boost retirement benefits for state politicians, Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs President Jonathan Small said today.Staff | April 11, 2022
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Budget & Tax
Oklahoma House lawmakers vote to line their own pockets
Legislation recently passed by the Oklahoma House of Representatives boosts the taxpayer-funded retirement benefits of the same lawmakers who voted for the bill.Staff | April 8, 2022