Articles
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Budget & Tax
After Step Up plan fails, OKCPS urges employees to contact lawmakers
The acting superintendent of Oklahoma City Public Schools used the district’s taxpayer-funded email system to urge teachers and other staff members to lobby state lawmakers in the wake of the failure of the Step Up Oklahoma tax increase/teacher pay plan, OCPA has learned.Mike Brake | February 22, 2018
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Budget & Tax
Will cigarette tax revenues go up in smoke?
Headlines often give the game away when it comes to agenda-driven journalism. Such is the case with “Somebody says” headlines, where the “somebody” is invariably pushing a point of view shared by the reporter.Trent England | February 21, 2018
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Good Government
More federal funds increases need for transparency
Many often use the level of state revenues at the beginning of this current decade as the reference point to show just how much Oklahoma’s revenues have declined. It may seem odd to remember a time when many in the state of Oklahoma were struggling through the worst recession since 1929 as an enviable time, but it is true the state government revenues were reaching records highs.Curtis Shelton | February 16, 2018
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Budget & Tax
A better plan
It’s easy for insiders to support tax increases – much easier than it is for low- and middle-income families and small businesses to pay higher taxes. That’s why this week the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs offered a revenue and reform plan. Our plan even received the endorsement of former U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn.Jonathan Small | February 16, 2018
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Budget & Tax
What's the difference: General Revenue Fund vs. Gross receipts
The monthly treasurer’s report often references the general revenue fund (GRF) and total gross receipts together, but it is important to understand what these numbers really mean.Curtis Shelton | February 14, 2018
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Higher Education
Free-speech controversy continues at UCO
The visit by Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis (AiG) to the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) in Edmond was scrubbed last week. UCO is now the Sooner State’s third largest higher education facility, so the move got attention.Patrick B. McGuigan | February 13, 2018
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Education
Get the facts about Oklahoma education finance
Because meaningful debate relies on good information, OCPA operates an education finance data tool. The web-based tool is available to the public at no cost here, and makes it easy to find financial information about Oklahoma’s public schools.Curtis Shelton | February 13, 2018
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Education
Private schools, public benefit
Americans instinctively dislike monopolies, even rail against Big Oil, Big Pharma, Big Tobacco, Big Whatever. These have a modicum of competition. There is one monopoly, however, that government not only allows, it controls. I’m talking, of course, about Big Learning.Jonathan Small | February 9, 2018
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Budget & Tax
Four questions as session begins
Actions speak louder than words, but what they tell us is not always obvious. What do our elected officials believe? What are they really trying to do? Here are four questions to ask as we watch the legislative process unfold.Trent England | February 6, 2018
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Education
Private placements benefit high-needs students
Mike Brake | February 5, 2018