Articles
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Budget & Tax
Pension-reform rollback puts taxpayers at risk
HB 2486, which is co-authored by state Sen. Dewayne Pemberton (R-Muskogee), a retired public-school educator, places future generations of Oklahomans in financial jeopardy.Curtis Shelton | April 1, 2022
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Budget & Tax
House votes to roll back Oklahoma pension reforms
House lawmakers voted to roll back a 2014 pension reform that was projected to save taxpayers $3.8 billion over 30 years and instead provide state workers retirement benefits that are not available to the typical private-sector worker in Oklahoma.Ray Carter | March 24, 2022
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Budget & Tax
‘Fines and fees’ reform clears Senate
Legislation allowing court fines and fees to be waived for certain offenders—and potentially increase the payment of those fees—has won unanimous approval in the Oklahoma Senate.Ray Carter | March 8, 2022
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Budget & Tax, Education, Law & Principles
Bold reforms for a post-pandemic Oklahoma
In the aftermath of the pandemic, Oklahoma’s policymakers should put parents in charge of education with a universal Education Savings Account, eliminate the personal income tax, and reform our state’s dysfunctional regulatory system.Curtis Shelton, Greg Forster, Ph.D., Byron Schlomach, Ph.D. & Andrew C. Spiropoulos | February 21, 2022
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Budget & Tax
McGirt decision creating millions in new expenses for state
While the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in McGirt v. Oklahoma may have stripped the state of the power to prosecute countless crimes involving a mix of Indians and non-Indians in eastern Oklahoma, it has not reduced state law-enforcement expenses, officials told lawmakers at a recent budget hearing.Ray Carter | January 17, 2022
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Budget & Tax, Education
Public schools carry over more than $1 billion
Oklahoma public schools carried over more than $1 billion at the end of the 2021 state budget year, marking an increase of more than 50 percent in school savings over the past five years.Ray Carter | January 10, 2022
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Budget & Tax
Illinois exodus provides lessons for Oklahoma
States with business-friendly climates, particularly states without a state income tax, have seen robust population growth.Curtis Shelton | December 23, 2021
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Budget & Tax
Big-spending agencies on naughty list again
Oklahoma state agencies seem to believe they’re on Santa’s “nice” list: they have requested an additional $815 million in funding for fiscal year 2023. This includes $660 million in appropriated funds.Curtis Shelton | December 21, 2021
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Budget & Tax, Good Government
Union activism may undermine Oklahoma film-subsidy program
Oklahoma lawmakers voted this year to supersize the state’s film-subsidy program, boosting the program from $8 million in annual subsidies to up to $30 million.Ray Carter | December 14, 2021
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Budget & Tax
Oklahoma’s income tax, by the numbers
In 2012 Oklahoma’s top personal income-tax rate was 5.5 percent. After two rate cuts of a quarter of a percentage point, Oklahoma’s top income tax rate was 5 percent in 2021.Curtis Shelton | December 3, 2021